Applied Learning Stories

In August 2025, Santiago Carbajal began his sophomore year as a software engineering student contractor at NetApp through Ennovar. Working with NetApp’s Performance and Benchmarking Team, Carbajal actively shapes his future through hands-on experience in this Applied Learning Experience. Carbajal advances in his own future and in future technology, by coding, testing and learning new technologies like machine learning and AI development at NetApp.

Amrutha Dasyam is a Wichita State Ph.D. candidate majoring in aerospace engineering. Her research focuses on spacecraft trajectory design and planning using artificial intelligence at Wichita State’s Astronautics Laboratory . In 2021, she earned her bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Wichita S tate and stayed to pursue her doctorate through the postbaccalaureate plan of study. Now as a doctoral student, she focuses on her research in her graduate research assistant role.  

Janett Lerma-Reyes, a mechanical engineering sophomore and was an operations summer 2025 intern at Shuttlewagon. Shuttlewagon, a mobile railcar mover manufacturer, designs railcar movers for rail yards, industrial facilities, and ports. At the Kansas City location, Lerma-Reyes' work centers around Shuttlewagon’s assembly line processes, improving its efficiency, accuracy, and safety for workers.

Vivian Salazar is a junior at Wichita State majoring in mechanical engineering. On campus, Salazar is a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul Engineering intern for The Smart Factory by Deloitte. At Deloitte, she supports the smart maintenance and repair facility by managing Industry 4.0 machinery.

Karaline Scott, a Wichita State electrical engineering sophomore, is currently interning for Professional Engineering Consultants. As a power and process division intern her tasks are focused on AutoCAD software, reading diagrams and schematics used in real world electrical systems.  

As a senior in the applied engineering program at Wichita State University, Haylee Thurman is scheduled to graduate this fall with an emphasis in management. Her academic journey, however, is only part of the story. Since the start of her college career, she has been steadily shaping a dynamic and impactful role in the world of research and development.

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.

Pranav Sathya Prasad arrived in the United States in 2015 as an international student from Mysore, India. A double-alumni of Wichita State University, he earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering. After more than three years of combined technical engineering experience, Pranav made the jump to Apple—where he works to this day!

Braden Webb, a WSU senior studying computer science and mathematics, turned his lifelong passion for public transportation into a transformative internship with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Through hands-on projects, industry connections, and a focus on applied learning, Braden merged his skills with his interests, setting the foundation for a promising career in transit technology.

Lauren Coffman, a current biomedical engineering student at Wichita State University (WSU), has always been fascinated by space. Her childhood interest turned into a reality when she secured a NASA Pathways Internship in Human Health and Performance at Johnson Space Center (JSC). From an early love of space exploration to landing an internship with NASA, Lauren’s journey has been filled with determination, hard work, and guidance from her mentors at WSU.