Nicolet Works -
Alumni Success Stories
Eric Magayne
"The work was worth
the reward."
Year Attended: 2002-03
Academic Program at Nicolet: University Transfer Liberal Arts
Education After Nicolet:
University of Wisconsin – Madison, Bachelor of Science in Engineering Mechanics & Astronautics; pursing a Master’s of Science in Systems Engineering from Iowa State University
Current Occupation: Platform Systems Engineer, Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Design, develop, and test avionics software for the United States Army’s CH-47F Chinook cargo helicopter.
Quote: “I had a wonderful experience at Nicolet, attending under the Youth Options program during my senior year of high school. The primary goal was to get a jump-start on college at no cost to myself, but the result was much more than I expected. Not only was I able to use my college coursework to obtain my high school diploma, but I transferred all 28 credits toward a four-year degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
My time at Nicolet took the anxiety out of attending a four-year university. By the time I got to UW-Madison, I knew exactly what to expect. At Nicolet I started developing the skills and tools I would use to complete my four-year degree. Where high school was structured, Nicolet was freeing. The experience focused my learning and exposed my potential. The two best parts were the small class sizes, and the approachability of the Instructors. I also enjoyed the camaraderie that I established with my fellow students.
Nicolet set the foundation for what I would learn at UW-Madison, and just about everything I learned at Nicolet I used as a pre-requisite at Madison. I took advantage of the opportunities to hone my writing skills and ventured out by taking a psychology course. Mark Nebgen in the chemistry department taught me the structural composition of the aerospace components that I work with every day. He was a mentor and now a life-long friend. The people I was surrounded by at Nicolet encouraged me to perform at the highest level, and brought the best out in me. The work was worth the reward.”