Alumni Profile
Fit for the Challenge
Personal responsibility and a competitive attitude are
winning ways for Power Engineering Technology alumnus
Alex Morrison '15.
What do you do for work and play?
I live in Michigan (where I grew up) and work as a field service engineer for
Babcock & Wilcox. My responsibilities include performing maintenance on
boilers and fuel-handling equipment, inspections, as wel as commissioning
(start-up for) environmental conditioning equipment and boilers.
I played footbal in high school and at MMA, which resulted in spending
a lot of time in the weight room. That led me to pursue and attain Crossfit
Level 1 and USA Weightlifting coaching certifications. I compete in Crossfit
as wel . I have a competitive streak so the competitions keep me engaged
with my fitness, and focused.
What led you to MMA?
I was turned on to MMA by a family friend whose brother-in-law works
as a nuclear control room operator and spoke highly of the school. When I
visited before enrolling, I discovered I could continue playing footbal . That,
combined with the smal classes and campus size, made it a perfect fit for
me.
Photo Courtesy of Alex Morrison
I began my freshman year in marine biology, but some of my teammates
encouraged me to sit in on a couple of engineering classes, and there I knew
My sense of personal responsibility grew ten-fold while I was at MMA,
I had found my major.
and mostly developed through the offseason work I did for footbal that
determined whether or not I played the next season. If I wanted more
Who were your mentors?
playing time, I had to put in the work. This carried over into other aspects
I try to learn as much as I can from anyone. Coach McKenney was a huge
of life, such as group projects and my internships during summers. Personal
influence. We had a tough stretch of seasons on the footbal team and
responsibility and integrity became the staples of my life after I came to
Coach never wavered in his faith in us and in his principles. One of the
MMA.
most important: buckle down and do the work required to win.
Professor of Engineering Mark Coté is certainly at the top of my list. His
What sets your MMA education apart from other schools?
courses were among the most beneficial in preparation for the professional
The education is second to none. We obtain such a specialized skill-set
world, and he also helped with my career decision-making. Another pro-
and knowledge that we stand out among the crowd, instantly. I work with
fessor is Barbara Fleck. I had the privilege of tutoring and being a teaching
a lot of mechanical and electrical engineers who aren't much older than
assistant for her, and she always had something to teach me. I appreciated
me, but I'm able to explain how specific machinery works better than they
her teaching style and approach to class.
can because of my practical experience in the professional world and the
My close friend Joel Chadbourne is also a mentor. Joel was two years
classroom. Being specialized in something makes you much more valuable
ahead of me and graduated PEO. We met during footbal and have been
to a company than someone who has a blanket degree where they know a
close friends ever since. He has a very no-nonsense approach to things and
little about a lot of stuff.
a valuable outlook when I ask for advice.
What do you like best about your work now?
What was most challenging about MMA?
I learn something new every day. That's why I chose Field Service, because
My junior year; the curriculum staging is just rugged. In order to succeed,
I have opportunities to see things happen to equipment that I would never
I was up many nights finishing homework until 1:30-2:00 a.m. This was on
see normal y in a power plant. And I also am using my college degree for
top of my responsibilities as a tutor, teaching assistant, off-season captain
exactly what I went to school for-- that's a pretty good feeling.
for the footbal team, and trying to secure an internship for my CO300 class
for the upcoming summer. There were a lot of 5-Hour energy drinks and
What are future hopes for your career?
coffee in passing that year!
It's hard to say, because there are so many different areas of power gener-
ation I can get into. I'm currently working on an environmental control
What are the accomplishments of which you are most proud?
project, and it's real y interesting. I've worked boiler inspections, boiler
Graduating with honors while being a four-year varsity athlete, working
start-ups, as wel as natural gas conversions since I graduated, and that's just
part-time, being a tutor and TA, and a memory ful of people I'm grateful to
a smal piece of it. I'd like to eventual y find a job that allows me to work as
cal my friends.
an engineer and get off the road, but that's a few years away at the moment.
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