Leading and Learning

After a campus tour, David Eckhart ’21 and his parents met Stephen Kuchnicki, PhD, Chair of the Mechanical Engineering program. Kuchnicki showed Eckhart the high-tech labs and state-of-the-art classrooms, and spent nearly two hours showing him the course guide, discussing scheduling, and talking about career opportunities.  

Eckhart says, “That one-on-one attention and the personal relationship was important to me. I knew that I’d found something unique here.”  

“Mechanical Engineering has really taught me how to approach a challenge,” he says. “We’re often given a concept and that’s it. It’s up to me to create the next steps that get me to an end goal.”  

Developing his skills in engineering was just one of Eckhart’s goals. He also wanted to find opportunities to stretch himself and become a leader. As a first-year student, he joined the Campus Activities Board and helped plan events for students. Soon after, he ran and was elected to Student Senate, on which he served for almost three years. Eckhart joined the SpartaNation Road Crew and sat on the Student Welfare Committee.  

He also worked to introduce other prospective students to the opportunities they might find in the Kinsley Engineering Center. As an Orientation Leader and later an Orientation Coordinator, Eckhart helped visiting high school juniors and seniors explore the possibilities of a York College education. 

“It meant a lot to be able to show students the engineering opportunities, but also everything else that York College offers,” he says. “There is no shortage when it comes to learning here. If you want to push yourself to grow, York College will help you do that.”