I'm not one for speeches. Thank you.

When I first heard about the Electric Vehicle Development Cohort, it was too late. Literally. I
was visiting a friend and talking with him about job prospects, and he produced a photocopied
pamphlet out of nowhere with the basic information on it. Of note, that the last information session
was from 4:00-6:00 that day. It was 6:30. However, I decided to follow up on it anyway. I emailed
Julie Harper, who was the program coordinator at the time(we've since scared her off), asking for
information that very night. Following was a string of longshots, rushed deadlines, and barely-made-
it's. I wrote the application essay and questionnaire response on my phone in between helping a friend
drive out to his family reunion in Wyoming..and I also found out later that the document format my
aged phone used wasn't compatible with modern software. It really didn't look very good for my
chances of getting in this program. I started to doubt myself..I mean..how could I do this? I've been
out of school for nearly a decade..and barely got my diploma, at that.
But I stuck with it. I took the WorkKeys test, and did very well on it. I took the COMPASS
test, and scored high 90's in math, reading, and English..though only a 32 in algebra. But I didn't let it
deter me. I kept pushing for it, and I got into the program. And then the real challenges started.
This is an exceptionally interesting program. I've had some of the best teachers I've ever had in
this program. It was a unique experience for me, to be actually learning in school. However, it is not
an easy program. You will be awake all too late studying and struggling to finish homework. You'll
wake up in the morning, barely conscious enough to drink your coffee. But you'll be expected to be in
class, on time, every day, and ready to take that test, or finish that lab, regardless of what else is
happening. It's a full-time job. 8 AM to 4 PM, every day. Weekends and nights too with the
homework. You will have to be committed and dedicated to the EV program for the better part of a
year. You'll need to have income and reliable transportation, or someone to provide those things for
you. The mathematics are particularly painful; be prepared to beat your head against the textbook for
many hours a night with it. It's grueling, yes..but not impossible.
It's not all misery, though. You'll have help. The instructors in the program are top-notch. I
know for certain you'll have Dr. Kelly teaching the majority of your classes, and he's always willing to
help out if you have any trouble, in any class. You'll have full access to the school's excellent tutoring
program, free of charge in the library. There are open lab days for when you fall behind in your
electronics classes..and trust me, you will need them.
The single most helpful resource, however, are your classmates. Each and every one of them
will be having the same struggles as you. They'll have the same problems with one instructor as you.
Reach out to each other. You all have a varied background. There may be someone in your group with
several degrees, but has no idea how to change the oil in their car, so you help them understand how,
and why, and when the time comes for you to struggle with trigonometry, they'll help you out with it.
The age-old saying, “United we stand, divided we fall” strongly applies to this group. By the end of
the program, you'll be like comrades in war, swapping horror stories over drinks, or harassing each
other every day in class.
Finally, the faculty running the show, especially Stacey, our program coordinator, and Shirley,
the internship coordinator. They work tirelessly day and night to keep things running smoothly for the
cohort. Between the two of them, you'll be tempted to put their email on the spam filters from how
much they send you. They'll even stalk you down in class just to make sure that you sent a resume.
They'll work with you and get you an internship, whether you want to or not. To them I owe a personal
thank you for being so remarkably proactive in keeping our cohort on their toes, and working towards
our careers.
Thank you, and I wish you all the best of luck in the Electric Vehicle Development Program.