WYOMISSING, Pa. — It’s not unusual for graduates to experience a career change in their lifetimes, but it’s not so common to hear about a career “refocusing.” Britton Reider’s return to Penn State to pursue a bachelor’s degree in electro-mechanical engineering technology at the Berks campus helped to push his career to the next level. Reider and his fellow graduates will celebrate their achievements during the fall 2021 commencement ceremony, set for Dec. 15 at the Santander Arena in Reading.
Reider graduated from Penn State Scranton in 2006 with an associate degree in architectural engineering technology. Eventually, he realized that his role at a local consulting engineering firm, designing mechanical, plumbing and fire protection systems, required more than his original architectural engineering technology background. In 2015, on the advice of a supervisor who was also a Penn State Berks alumnus, Reider decided that he wanted to pursue a professional engineer’s license to further his career. The first step toward that goal was to return as an adult student to complete his bachelor’s degree.
Reider’s first child was born the year he went back to school, and with that came the challenge of multitasking. With fatherhood and a full-time job, it was necessary that he find a college that could accommodate his schedule while also meeting his requirements. Penn State Berks fit the bill perfectly.