PCEC News
PCEC Alumni Spotlight: Three Engineering Graduates Employed with Stryker Reflect on their GVSU Education
February 28, 2022
GVSU engineering alumni, Kyle Hanis, Allison Bolthouse, and Mike Ford, connected when they found themselves employed at Stryker, a medical technology corporation based in Kalamazoo, Michigan that focuses on improving healthcare through innovative technology and evidence-based design for patient safety. We caught up with them on their careers post-graduation and asked them why they want to stay engaged with GVSU as alumni, as well as their advice for current and prospective students.
All three alumni spoke highly of the co-op program in the School of Engineering. “The valuable skill sets that students obtain as part of the GVSU engineering co-op program benefit both the students and the companies involved,” explained Bolthouse.
“I found the co-op experience to be very valuable,” stated Ford. “You stay with the same company and grow that relationship over time, while also increasing your responsibilities over time.”
For both Ford and Hanis, co-op led to their first professional job after graduation. “The co-op program helped me get serious about finding a job and graduation,” Hanis said. “I’m not sure I would have had the same opportunities if the co-op wasn’t required.”
“GVSU graduates stand out in industry because of their experience from the co-op program,” Ford explained. “The project experience that GVSU students graduate with adds a lot of value.”
Of the three, Ford is the most recent addition to Stryker. He works on robotic devices that assist surgeons. A graduate of the computer engineering program, Ford said that his projects require application of many of the skills that he learned at Grand Valley, including those gained in his favorite classes on embedded systems.
“The work I do at Stryker is important to me because it is meaningful to other people,” Ford explained. When he first graduated, he didn’t intend to enter the medical device industry, but found that it provided an avenue for participation in work that had a positive impact on others, while simultaneously allowing him to use his passion for embedded systems.
When asked what advice he’d offer to current students, Ford responded, “undergrad students don’t need to obsess about having every detail of their career figured out before they finish college because engineering moves very quickly.” Instead, students should focus on developing their skills, take advantage of the wealth of resources available to them at Grand Valley, and learn to become a lifelong learner.
Bolthouse began working for Stryker as an intern while studying at GVSU. She now works on software design in Stryker’s neurosurgical department. Bolthouse initially came to GVSU as a mechanical engineering student, inspired by drafting courses that she took in high school. Fueled by her interest in prosthetics, Bolthouse switched to computer engineering and took advantage of the combined undergraduate / graduate degree program to begin her masters in biomedical engineering as soon as possible. “Through the combined degree program, I was able to complete my M.S.E. in just one year,” explained Bolthouse. “It allowed me to focus on school rather than trying to work and complete a master’s degree simultaneously.”
“Future engineers should pay attention in their introductory classes so they can be exposed to a wide range of skills and fields right away,” advised Bolthouse. “Take advantage of the experiential learning available in order to differentiate yourself in the field and learn how to troubleshoot.” When looking for a career, Bolthouse recommended that graduates chase a cause they care about in order to find meaning in their work and see how it contributes to the wider world.
Hanis also works in the neurosurgical department at Stryker, where he is an embedded software engineer on the high-speed drills team. “Students shouldn’t be afraid to try things out,” said Hanis. “They won’t know if they like them until they do.” Hanis himself switched majors into the GVSU computer engineering program after originally planning to become a mathematics teacher. He realized he had a passion for computing when he took a programming course that was part of his mathematics degree, and decided to dual major in both mathematics and computer engineering.
“I don’t regret the extra time it took to graduate because it allowed me the freedom to discover what I love to do,” Hanis explained. Hanis also recommended that students ensure they understand all parts of projects they are assigned, even if the work is done in a group.
For students hoping to work in the medical device industry, the alumni said that technical expertise is more essential than biomedical knowledge. “Stryker hires a wide range of engineers, and nearly any engineering degree will open doors to the company as long as you are a lifelong learner and have critical thinking skills,” said Ford.
Visit the GVSU School of Engineering website.