Wesley Bennett, currently pursuing his master's degree in engineering management, has refused to allow setbacks to keep him from finding success in the Cullen College of Engineering – even if it took a bit longer than he expected.
Presently employed as the Director of Engineering for Koppl Pipeline Services, Inc. in Texarkana, Bennett first earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering technology from the UH College of Technology in 2007 in what he calls his "eight year" plan. He had initially enrolled as a chemical engineering major with the Cullen College of Engineering in 1999, but he struggled with coursework outside his area of focus.
"I had a lot of distractions in my life at the time," Bennett said. "My core classes like history – the things that for some engineers just aren't as interesting – they got to me. I was on academic suspension, and it took me a long time – a couple of years working full-time at an unfulfilling job that I didn't love – to decide that I wanted to go back to school and finish my bachelor's degree."
Strict reinstatement policies precluded him from re-enrolling with the Cullen College of Engineering, and he was faced with the decision to transfer to a different university or apply to a different college at the University of Houston. Though he remained on academic probation when he first resumed his studies, the College of Technology accepted Bennett's application and gave him the opportunity to finish his bachelor's degree. By the time he graduated with his BSMET in 2007, he had made the Dean's List.
Bennett went straight into management roles after graduation, starting as a project manager in the oil and gas industry, but "wanted to be an engineer more than [he] wanted to be in management."
"When I left the oil and gas industry and found work [in the waterworks industry] in Texarkana, the company that hired me wanted me to sit for the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam within one year of my start date as a condition of my hiring agreement. It was a lot of work, but I sat for the PE exam, and I passed it on my first attempt," said Bennett. "It was really great to see that you can still be a licensed engineer and be equal with your engineering peers even if you come from slightly different backgrounds."
However, Bennett's technology degree alone was not sufficient to secure his PE license in some states outside of Texas, which is an integral step in reaching his goal of enhancing and expanding the services available to Koppl Pipeline Services, Inc. clients.
"Those [states] require a master's degree from an engineering college, and that's what drew me back to pursuing my master's degree. I thought that studying engineering management would be a great way for me to position myself for higher-caliber roles."
Returning to the University of Houston to begin this new endeavor was hardly a question.
"I've always had a strong connection with UH. I'm a football season ticket holder – have been for 17 years – and I live in Texarkana, but we still drive down for almost every home game," he proudly declared.
Bennett's professional experience was assessed in lieu of some of the academic prerequisites for the program, which allowed him to leverage real-world skills and insight toward his acceptance into the program. As he prepares to graduate this semester, he's already seeing the difference this education can make for industry professionals.
"My current company is just now beginning to experience [the benefits of] a structured engineering department, and I'm using the things that I'm learning in these classes, both from Bauer and Cullen, to help improve our programs and implement new processes before I've even graduated," said Bennett.
"My instructors have really worked with me to succeed in my coursework. They're flexible, and they genuinely care about our success in the program. When you have professors that care and will take the time to help you succeed, that says a lot for the reputation of both the Cullen College of Engineering and the University of Houston."