Written by Stephanie Gordon
Physics “just clicked” with Domenic DiGiovanni, ’14. As a Hillsdale student, his interests were broad, which is why the physics major also has three minors: economics, English, and math. Even though Hillsdale College doesn’t offer an engineering major, Domenic knew he wanted an engineering career. Coming to Hillsdale didn’t hinder his engineering aspirations.
“I had such a blast with physics in high school,” said Domenic of his early love for science. “I knew I wanted to study physics in college, and I knew I wanted to be an engineer. I was fully aware that Hillsdale did not offer an engineering major, but Hillsdale was absolutely the right place to be. You’re not hemming yourself in by going to Hillsdale.”
The Nashville, Tennessee, native appreciated Hillsdale’s invested faculty, and said he didn’t expect the close relationships that develop between the students and faculty. “Dr. Ken Hayes and I were really close,” Domenic said. “He and I would chat about physics, other academic interests, family, future plans, and developments in the department.”
Domenic was in the Honors Program (now called the Collegiate Scholars Program). He presented his Honors Program thesis on economics and political science. That was when Dr. Hayes advised Domenic to take a step back and assess his interests before jumping into a post-graduate engineering program.
After graduation, Domenic took a gap year and visited nearly ten graduate schools. Initially, he wanted to study mechanical engineering, but then he recalled an electronics class he took with Dr. Hayes that piqued his interest in that field.
Landing at the University of Notre Dame’s College of Engineering, Domenic studied electrical engineering. “Sometimes you can get into this mode of thinking that you’re coming from a tiny liberal arts school in Michigan, and these big, high-power programs won’t be interested in you,” said Domenic. “That’s not the case.”
Graduate schools appreciated Domenic’s work ethic, attention to detail, and careful formulation of questions that a liberal arts education instills in students. “Framing and pursuing a serious research problem requires a lot of independent reasoning and self-motivation,” he said. “A mind that knows how to ponder things ‘liberally’ is better prepared for that than one trained to follow provided patterns.”
Domenic’s best advice to those interested in engineering is to become familiar with computer science. “Hillsdale now has a computer science minor,” he said. “Most of my job is coding in some form or another. Take the computer science courses.”
And with numerous types of engineering out there, Domenic suggests taking the time to learn what kind of engineering is most intriguing. “It’s a bit of a journey, but it’s possible to branch out and do just about anything in engineering. Just be ready to chart the course.”
Now a digital circuit design engineer for Northrop Grumman in Cincinnati, Ohio, Domenic has been working for the company for seven years.
Domenic said he feels blessed with the opportunity to make a living solving interesting problems in a fascinating field that frequently presents new challenges. “What’s more, in my current role, I’m supporting our country and its allies alongside veteran co-workers,” he explained. “Much of our customer base and many of our employees are active or retired military. I’ve met program managers who use Northrop Grumman equipment in the field. Getting to geek out with some incredible technologies that support the security of our country and its allies makes for a fulfilling career. I get to see how tangible that impact is.”
For Domenic, attending an undergraduate institution that taught him how to study Dante, biblical narratives, and British literature makes him feel fortunate. “I learned to read and digest and articulate things so well here at Hillsdale,” he said. “I still draw from those experiences. It’s very valuable to me.”
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of Virtue and Valor: The Official Blog of Hillsdale College. She is married to chiropractor, Dr. Matt Gordon, and has three children – Eloise, Flora, and Jack. When she has a spare moment, she enjoys paleo baking, floating on Baw Beese Lake, and breaking a sweat at the gym.
Published in August 2024
