Highlighting One National Vision Scholarship Recipient: Kelsi Wicker
When Kelsi Wicker graduated from Lafayette High School in 2014, her mother, Tina Wicker, Regional Vice President for our Eyeglass World brand, could not have been more proud.
Kelsi was the soccer team captain, yearbook editor, a member of many honor societies, a participant in academic competitions, student of the year finalist and served as her school’s mascot. She was also awarded a scholarship through the National Vision College Scholarship Program that same year, which was renewed all three years of her academic career for a total of $10,000.
In 2018, Kelsi graduated from Rice University in Houston, Texas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, and in no time, she was on her way to Ridley Park, Pennsylvania with a job offer from Boeing.
We recently caught up with Kelsi to find out a little more about her time in college and her plans for the future.
Did you always want to be an engineer?
“Yes! For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be an engineer like my dad. It has always felt like it was a natural fit for me. I grew up loving logic problems, math and science.”
What made you decide on a Mechanical Engineering degree?
“Actually, at first I thought I would major in biomedical engineering because I was very interested in working with prosthetics. Eventually, I decided I didn’t want to specialize so early in my career, and I realized that all of my passions fell under the mechanical side of engineering. I didn’t realize how much I liked control systems until I was already taking the classes, so I switched my focus.”
Can you tell us more about your position with Boeing?
“I am currently a Flying Qualities Engineer at Boeing. In this role, I work on the flight control system on the V-22 Osprey, designing and testing control law updates to our current flight control software. The V-22 is a fly-by-wire aircraft, meaning there are no mechanical linkages between the pilot’s control sticks and the surfaces on the aircraft. Rather, you can think of it as a system of sensors and actuators working to measure the pilot’s inputs and give an optimized signal to the control surfaces.”
And what do you do when you are not at work?
“When I am not at work I am usually spending time with my adorable rescue dog, exploring historical Philadelphia, hiking or playing sports.”
Will there be more schooling in your future?
“I thought I would pursue graduate school for control systems right after undergraduate, but I was hired by Boeing and took this amazing opportunity instead. I am planning on starting my Master’s degree in the fall while I work.”
Kelsi was selected for the National Vision College Scholarship based on several criteria to include her past academic performance and future potential. It was our privilege to help support her educational goals.
Congratulations Kelsi on your graduation and your new position with Boeing! We wish you nothing but the best in your future endeavors.
Jessica Altamirano
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