Army Vet, Military Wife Transitions to New Career

Greenville Electronics Engineering Graduate Excelling with Global Manufacturer

Coming out of high school, Traci McAdam had no idea what she wanted to do for a living. A self-described “military brat,” she was both familiar and comfortable in a military setting, and so she joined the U.S. Army and spent eight years in service to her country. She married a fellow soldier, left the Army, and transitioned to life as a military spouse.

Still subject to frequent transfers every few years, Traci says she was unable to focus on her career. Instead, she focused on her family as a stay-at-home mom for nearly a decade, then decided the time was right to return to school. “I wanted to do something electrical,” she says, “I knew I didn’t want to become an electrician, being that I was older and I didn’t want to be climbing under houses or in attics. I thought long and hard, then realized that I could go into the electronics field.”

“I met and made some great friends. ECPI also made me realize that everyone learns differently and they showed me how I can learn. I succeeded and made the Dean’s list multiple times. Having earned a degree, I left with a feeling of accomplishment.”

– Traci McAdam – Electronic Engineering Technology Graduate, Greenville Campus

After moving to South Carolina, Traci enrolled in the Electronics Engineering Technology program at ECPI University’s Greenville campus. “I enjoyed being a student,” she says. “They held my hand throughout the process, helping me with financial aid, picking my classes, and getting me all the needed books, versus the local community college that handed me a large catalog of classes and refused to sit down and go over my questions and concerns. 

“I met and made some great friends. ECPI also made me realize that everyone learns differently, and they showed me how I could learn. I succeeded and made the Dean’s list multiple times. Having earned a degree, I left with a feeling of accomplishment.”

Toward the end of her studies, Traci turned to the campus’ Career Services Department, where her advisor helped refine her resume, set up mock interviews, and reviewed all the dos and don’ts for cover letters and thank-you notes. It all added up to a job offer that she happily accepted at KEMET, a manufacturer whose products include capacitors, EMC components, inductors, sensors, and relays.

“My education got me in the door at KEMET,” says Traci. “ECPI helped me get the interview, and I got the job!” Now, she looks forward to going to work each and every day, and that, she says, is the key to professional happiness. “Enjoy what you do, and learn every day.  Don’t go to work for a paycheck; take the time and ask questions. Ask why you do what you do, look at the bigger picture, and find ways to do your job better and how it can help others with their job.  Take the time to learn what you do and why you do it and how you can improve what you do.”