Engineering at Ohio State is Peters family tradition

Engineering at Ohio State is Peters family tradition

The Ohio State University and engineering are a big part of the Peters family of Marion, Ohio and synonymous with a father and son who followed similar paths through Ohio State Marion to an Ohio State degree in engineering and successful career positions.

Wes Peters and his son Owen Peters both attended local Marion County high schools and graduated from The Ohio State University in the field of engineering. Wes, graduated from local Ridgedale High School in the late eighties, began attending Ohio State Marion shortly after high school. He later transitioned to the Columbus campus after a year and eventually earning his Bachelor of Science in Industrial & System Engineering from Ohio State's nationally ranked College of Engineering. After several growth opportunities throughout his career, Wes Peters is now the Global Manufacturing Strategy, Production Flow, & Focused Improvement Pillar Lead for Goodyear Corporate, headquartered in Akron, Ohio.

Owen's path through the university began after he graduated from Pleasant High School in Marion, Ohio and chose to attend Ohio State Marion to major in engineering technology. Offered only through Ohio State's regional campuses in Marion, Lima, Mansfield, and Newark, the degree combines engineering concepts along with critical leadership skills and hands-on expertise in solving technical issues. Although the father and son took slightly different educational and career paths, both earned engineering degrees from Ohio State and now work for internationally recognized manufacturers Goodyear and Honda.

Wes shared that while the decision of where to go to college belonged to his children, he enjoyed the idea of his kids following the same path as he and his wife, who also earned her degree at The Ohio State University, but the choice of where to attend was ultimately his.

"Affordability was a priority," said Wes. "To facilitate freedom and choice for our kids as they enter the workforce, the goal was for us to partner with them to start their first job with no debt."

According to Wes, Owen wanted this as well, so he chose to attend Ohio State Marion and live at home. The younger Peters graduated debt-free and enjoyed his Ohio State Marion experience.

"If I could have gotten a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology from a regional campus like Ohio State Marion, it would have been a no-brainer," said Wes Peters.

While Peters shared advice about Ohio State and the College of Engineering, as well as Ohio State Marion with his son, it boiled down to offering practical straight forward advice.

"We come from a very practical perspective, so our advice was simple. Ohio State is widely recognized globally as a great engineering school," said Wes. "Couple our family's work ethic with an Ohio State degree, and you can do almost anything you want, anywhere you want."

"In addition, if you stay in Marion, you get the small campus experience as well as the many benefits of name recognition," he said. "A real win-win," added Wes.

"It is important to understand that Ohio State's regional campuses are filled with great people. When I speak to my Goodyear global colleagues now," said Peters. "I proudly speak of the city where I still chose to live."

Wes highly encourages parents of local students to consider Ohio State's regional campuses as a practical choice. "They are affordable, fun, have name recognition, and with some planning, can ultimately fulfill the desire of parents to have their kids launched into their first job on a clear path to success," he added.

Now a manufacturing equipment engineer at Honda Motor Company in Anna, Ohio, Owen Peters decision to attend Ohio State Marion has paid immediate dividends as he had this position lined up as he proudly walked through graduation at Ohio Stadium last spring, earning his Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology as part of the campuses first cohort of graduates.

According to Owen, some of the schools didn't even have engineering programs so he was left to make a financial decision.

"My original plan was to go to the Ohio State Marion the first two years and transition to the Columbus campus," he said, "but I didn't know what engineering degree I would pursue. "Then we had a meeting where one of the academic advisors told us about the new engineering technology degree and how I could stay in Marion for all four years but still graduate from The Ohio State University.

"So, getting a 4-year degree for a great price from a great school all while living at home really was an easy choice," said Peters.

Peters felt like family ties to Ohio State had more of an influence than he expected on his decision on where to attend college. "Knowing my dad went there and for engineering had a considerable influence on me. He has had a successful career at Whirlpool and now Goodyear," Peters said.

Peters said. "Sometimes I wish I got to go to the Columbus campus and be in the same classes he was in, however, he also started out at Ohio State Marion, and I still got to do that."

Not only that, explained Peters, he had the opportunity to visit friends and others on the Columbus campus during his college years, traversing the same hallways his father had years earlier. He sees his time at Ohio State as building on the Buckeye legacy and connection.

"Funny enough, I feel like my sense of connection to Ohio State has really grown since I graduated. Hearing Carmen Ohio has more of an effect on me now than it did when I was in school," he added.

Owen said the faculty and opportunities at Ohio State Marion really set me up well.

"The manufacturing focused degree has been useful because everything I went to school for, I have seen already at Honda in my short few months," he said.

Peters said, "The professors I had also created a significant impact on me. They did an excellent job at giving real career advice and encouragement. Being part of the first class of engineering technology, they truly were excited for feedback from us and have been a consistent contact for help and guidance early in my career."

Additionally, Peters shared, Ohio State Marion students have closer relationships with professors than you would get on a larger college or university campuses.

"The small class sizes made us students and especially the professors care more about how we learned and how well that knowledge was retained," Peters said. "They truly cared about us as people, not just students."

Thinking about his future possibilities as a recent graduate and now career engineer, Peters sees himself becoming an expert in a specific engineering discipline. Whether it be artificial intelligence, robotics, lean manufacturing, Quality / Six Sigma, or manufacturing design.

"Honda is a great company with unlimited learning capabilities," he said. "God has blessed me with this job straight out of college. One day I would like to expand my career into aerospace. After all of that, I can see myself giving back to Ohio State by becoming a professor one day."

More than anything Owen Peters is grateful for the guidance his family and Ohio State have had on his life.

"I hope that I can create a lasting impact on the people I work for and with. I am grateful to Ohio State Marion and all my professors, Dr. Tahmina, Dr. Ranjith, Dr. Gol, Dr. Mansouri, and Dr. Chandika," he said.