Andrea Whalen
Masters of Systems Engineering, August 2005
Employer: Naval Surface Warfare Center
City: Dahlgren, VA
Andrea Whalen is employed at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, VA, as a system engineer for Ballistic Missile Defense. In August 2005, Andrea graduated with a Masters in Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech through the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program. Before coming to Virginia, Whalen earned her Bachelors of Science in Aerospace Engineering in 2001 from Auburn University in Auburn, AL.
Andrea first learned about CGEP through her job at the NSWC, and she chose this particular program because of the number and frequency of classes it offers. She started taking classes in the program in 2002 and finished her degree in three years. Since receiving her Masters degree, Andrea has already experienced its benefits. "The degree has lead to better recognition for systems engineering skills among coworkers and management," says Andrea. "In every class I was exposed to new tools that could be applied to various aspects of my job."
Distance learning was a good option for Andrea because of its flexibility, which was valuable since she was working full-time during her schooling. "The technology allows you to get the same interaction you would in a classroom setting while saving you possible commuting time."
Previously Featured CGEP Alumni
Richard Whitaker
Master of Engineering Administration
Zalenda Cyrille
Employer: Lockheed Martin Corporation
Van Hanson
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