Beyond the cap and gown

Derek Roggenbuck
HVAC engineering technology

Did you start in that major when you came to Ferris? Yes, I started in the HVAC program and graduated with my associate’s.

What’s your best memory at Ferris State? Some of the best memories I have at Ferris State are teaching swim lessons at the UREC. I have been teaching some of them for four years, and it’s the best feeling seeing your kids grow over the years.

What was your most embarrassing moment at FSU? I don’t really think I get embarrassed, though one of my funniest stories is playing bumper cars with Wal-Mart grocery carts at Venlo.

What was your favorite class at FSU? My Favorite class is HVAC 499. The reason for this is I spend over 40 hours in the lab outside of class. This class has made the Granger Building my first home and my apartment my second home.

How do you think your experience from here will help you in the future? My time here at Ferris State has given me good leadership skills that I will be able to take and apply to my job in the future. My technical experience will help me in the work place, too. My understanding of HVAC systems will help with writing my building automation programs for my new job in May.

What are your plans after graduation? After graduation I will immediately be driving to Detroit to see my cousin get married. We both will be celebrating stepping stones in life together.

What is your dream job? My dream job would be a composer for movies or be an inventor.

If there was one thing you wish you would have known as a freshman, what was it? I wish I knew that you do not want to wait to send your FAFSA forms in–the earlier, the better. If you wait too long you may not receive any financial aid. 

What is one piece of advice you want to give to other students? Don’t stress out about life too much; everything always works out somehow.

Addie Brasseur
Health care systems administration

Did you start in that major when you came to Ferris? No, I came here to get a degree in radiography, which I completed last August. This was my secondary degree.

What’s your best memory at Ferris State? Being in the halls. We used to have Guitar Hero parties all the time. It was just an amazing experience making lifelong friends.

What was your most embarrassing moment at FSU?
No comment.

What was your favorite class at FSU and why? My favorite class was Biology 109 Anatomy & Physiology because we had the chance to work with a lot of interesting things in lab, such as dissecting lungs.

How do you think your experience from here will help you in the future? Well, the obvious answer is my two degrees and all of the education, but besides that I would also say the experiences I have had in the past five years just gaining the ability to put myself into situations that I normally never would have, and taking the initiative to learn new things.

What are your plans after graduation? After graduation I plan on relocating wherever I can find a job, and starting my career.

What is your dream job? My dream job right now is to become a CT technologist. Later in life I want to be a manager of a radiology department. I want that to come later so I get to experience what my employees will go through, and it will also help me develop my own leadership style by picking up cues from other managers.

If there was one thing you wish you would have known as a freshman, what was it? I wish I would have known that it is possible to not have 8 a.m. classes!

What advice would you give to other students? Join RSOs and other organizations because it is a great way to meet people and the networking will help you later in life.

Robert Saleski
Criminal justice, minor in military science

Did you start in that major when you came to Ferris? Yes, I’ve been in the CJ program and ROTC all four years at Ferris.

WHAT IS YOUR BEST MEMORY AT FERRIS STATE? It’d probably have to be just hanging with the people I’ve met here. I’ve had a lot of fun and crazy memories with a lot of good friends.

What was your most embarrassing moment at FSU? It would probably have to be from sophomore year when my phone went off in the middle of class … it wouldn’t have been so bad if my phone wasn’t on full volume and my ringtone hadn’t been set to “Baby Got Back.”

What was your favorite class at Ferris? Probably ROTC, since I was with the same group of people all four years and got to know them really well.

How will the experiences you’ve had here help you in the future? They’ll help me make better leadership decisions in my future career and will also help me to make better decisions overall.

What are you plans after graduation? My plans for after graduation are to find a job as a police officer or federal agent and to complete some of the military training I need to complete, all while being a second lieutenant in the National Guard.

What’s your dream job? My dream job would have to be either a Special Agent for the Secret Service or the FBI.

If there is one thing you wish you would have known as a freshman, what is it?
I wish I would have known about some of the extracurricular things around campus.

What advice would you give other students? Make sure you try your best all four years and get good grades because it’ll benefit you in the future. Also, try and do things outside of class and school because it’ll look good on resumes for future employment in your career field.

Amanda Williamson
Social work 

Did you start in that major when you came to Ferris? Things got mixed up and I wanted to be in social work, but I ended up in the University College. My second semester I was placed into social work. 

What’s your best memory at Ferris State? I would have to say the social work program in all. We are all very close and are like a huge family. My best moment with the group would have been our trip to New York for the Social Work Day at the UN. It was an amazing experience. 

What was your most embarrassing moment at FSU? When I fell in the winter time on the ice. Ok, let’s be honest, that happened multiple times. 

What was your favorite class at FSU and why? Social Work 220 Methods and Theories I think this was one of my most favorite classes because we had to explore ourselves and write a self analysis on ourselves. We also were able to explore different age groups and work with children in the classrooms. 

How do you think your experience from here will help you in the future? I feel everything I learned at Ferris State is going to help me in my career and in my personal life. I feel my time here at FSU has been an experience I would never take back. 

What are your plans after graduation? My plan is to obtain a job in social work, possibly at The Department of Human Services, and then work toward my masters at Grand Valley State University. 

What is your dream job? My dream job is to work at DeVos Children’s Hospital. I love working with children.

If there was one thing you wish you would have known as a freshman, what was it? I wish I would have known how to get more actively involved from the beginning. During my junior and senior year, I made several differences in people’s lives though Social Work Association, and am now nominated for Torch Bearer awards.  

What is one piece of advice you want to give to other students? The Social Work Association brought an event to Ferris this year called “The Bullycide Project.” It was stated by Lori Thompson, the director, “To the world you are one person, but to one person you are the world.” I took that to heart. Even a smile can brighten someone’s day. 

Corey Potter
Psychology and biology

Did you start in that major when you came to Ferris? No, I did not. I originally started with an applied biology degree.

What’s your best memory at Ferris State? When I am around my staff after long break vacations. The Brophy-McNerney staff is my family away from home.

What was your most embarrassing moment at FSU? This past semester I slipped on some ice outside and landed in a puddle. Had to show up to class for an exam soaked!

What was your favorite class at FSU and why? I’ve enjoyed almost every psychology class I’ve taken here. But I would definitely have to go with any class I’ve had with Dr. Weaver. She is such a character and keeps me on my feet.

How do you think your experience from here will help you in the future? My job as a resident advisor in McNerney Hall has definitely helped me prepare to work with different types of people.

What are your plans after graduation? I will be attending Boston College in the fall — the school that beat Ferris out of winning the hockey championship.

What is your dream job? I would like to work as a substance abuse counselor. Also one day, I would like to own a vintage 1920s movie theater.

If there was one thing you wish you would have known as a freshman, what was it? That Ferris offers CLEP testing in order to test out of basic classes.

What is one piece of advice you want to give to other students? Don’t always take the easy way out.

Mike Hall
Business administration and graphic design

Did you start in that major when you came to Ferris? I started in graphic design and decided it wasn’t for me; I finished my associate’s degree and switched to business administration.

What’s your best memory at Ferris State? Summer tubing on the
Muskegon River.

What was your most embarrassing moment at FSU? No comment.

What was your favorite class at FSU and why? My favorite class here at Ferris State University has honestly been my Business 499 class because of the friendships I have made and the fun that I have had in that course.

How do you think your experience from here will help you in the future? Ferris State University has
really taught me to be a critical thinker, and to better understand the way that people work so I can better manage them.

What are your plans after graduation? I plan to move back to my hometown and begin my career in the management field.

What’s your dream job? Chief operating officer at Gentex Manufacturing in Zeeland.

If there was one thing you wish you would have known as a freshman, what was it? There are a lot better places to live than University Parke Suites.

What is one piece of advice you want to give to other students? Work hard and play harder. n