Wichita State student Damyin Allmond is gaining applied learning experience by working as a College Access Mentor. Damyin is from Tuttle, Oklahoma, a small town southwest of Oklahoma City, He's pursuing a bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in mathematics. In addition to his current studies, Damyin is considering adding a track in propulsion or space systems and potentially a minor in physics as well.
His passion for aerospace began early in life. Growing up in Dunlap, Illinois, Damyin was surrounded by the world of aviation. His parents owned a flight school called Allmond Aviation in nearby Peoria, where he spent much of his childhood. Damyin explains, “this gave me the opportunity to see how aircrafts worked and have the experience to fly in many small single engine airplanes.” That early exposure sparked a fascination with how airplanes worked, but it wasn’t until a school trip to NASA’s space camp in Huntsville, Alabama, when Damyin was in fifth grade that his interest truly took flight. “I fell in love with space and knew from that moment on that I would do anything in my power to become an engineer to work on spacecraft and help the advancement of space travel and exploration.” After moving to Oklahoma before starting sixth grade, Damyin continued to nurture that dream. He now hopes to one day work for United Launch Alliance (ULA) in Colorado.
Alongside his academic work, Damyin holds the position of College Access Mentor at Wichita East High School. In this role, he supports students through the college admissions process. “I help the students with their FAFSA, college applications, finding the right school for them, and answering any looming questions they may have about life in college,” he said. His goal is to be a go-to resource for students navigating the complex world of higher education. “To put my job into easier terms, I'm the one-stop college help person high school students can go to.”
This mentoring experience has strengthened skills that will be valuable in his future career. “In the world of engineering, it is important to be able to convey information to many people of many different trades,” he explained. “Doing this requires you to be able to convey the information in an easy to understand language.”
One moment that stood out to him was helping a student struggling with their FAFSA. “We did end up finding a small issue with the information that was stopping the FAFSA from processing and were able to fix it,” he recalled. “It felt nice being able to help someone in a situation I wish I had someone knowledgeable to help me with.”
Reflecting on his experience, Damyin sees it as a reinforcement of his decision to pursue engineering. “This job has shown me that I can work well with others and help teach people things which is very important in my future career,” he said. “I have found that I enjoy it more than I thought I would and can't wait for my first engineering job.”
The support he’s received through scholarship funding has also played a crucial role in his academic journey. “Having this scholarship has helped me work towards completing my classes without the looming thought of paying for classes weighing me down as much,” he said. “Every little bit I get is extremely helpful for me and I am thankful I was given this opportunity.”
Wichita State's applied learning program gives students hands-on, paid experience with industry partners, helping them build careers before graduation.
For more information, contact the Shocker Career Accelerator at (316) 978-3688, SCA@wichita.edu, or visit wichita.edu/Career. You can also stop by in person at the Marcus Welcome Center, Suite 139, on the Wichita State campus.