Name: Joseph Wihbey
Class Year: 2016
Title: Mechanical Engineer
Organization: Sikorsky
1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?
I am a mechanical designer that designs, analyzes, and details test machines for Sikorsky helicopter components.
2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decided it was a good fit for you?
I had always planned on pursuing engineering. I was unsure of which engineering field I would be most interested in. My experience within the Holy Cross physics department helped me decide on mechanical engineering.
3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?
I was involved in on-campus research – I studied atomic physics in Professor Oxley’s lab. The hands-on experiments I took part in through Professor Oxley’s lab were very formative and a major inspiration. I was also involved in SPUD and Track and Field.
4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?
I was a 3-2 engineering student at Holy Cross. I studied physics at Holy Cross and mechanical engineering at Columbia. In both majors, I got to use a lot of math – particularly calculus and differential equations. I wanted a job where I would be able to use those math skills on a regular basis. I feel very lucky that in my current role I am constantly referring back to my college textbooks and applying what I learned in school.
5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?
Taking detailed notes! A lot can happen in the course of the day, between meetings and other types of distractions, and keeping a notebook has helped me stay on task.
6. What advice do you have for students today?
Take advantage of the liberal arts curriculum! Try not to think of the common requirements as a chore, but as an opportunity to try something new.
