While it no longer shocks people to hear someone follow the footsteps of his/her parents, it is often an amusing story to hear how a family chooses to pursue the same career for generations. There’s a family of doctors, lawyers, politicians, and of course, a family of engineers.
They are a Family of Engineers for Four Generations
For four generations, the Young family has been producing engineers. It all started with Paul Edgar Young, who graduated from college in the early 1900s and went on to work as an engineer for a local company. His son, Michael, followed in his footsteps, also becoming an engineer. Michael’s son, Robert, and daughter-in-law, Leora, are both engineers, as is their son.
The Young family has always been interested in engineering and its various applications. The family was fascinated by the process of extracting mining. Michael loved finding new ways to make products more efficient. Leora and David enjoy developing new methods of manufacturing. Alyssa and Kealy’s focus is on biomedical and electrical engineering. And Michael’s wife is interested in geological engineering.
Alyssa Smith came from a family of engineers that goes way back to 1927. Continuing a tradition of graduating with an engineering degree from Michigan Technological University.
Last December of 2015, she earned her Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering, while her brother, Kealy, also graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer and electrical engineering from the same university last spring.
Both of them just added another achievement to their family of engineers that started 90 years ago.
It all started with their great grandfather attending the Michigan College of Mines, Paul Edgar Young graduated with a degree in mining engineering while being active in basketball.
Young would eventually have his son, daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren follow in his footsteps.
Young’s son, Micheal, also majored in mining engineering, while his wife, Priscilla, was also part of the geological engineering department.
While their children, Leora and David Young, pursued a different fields of engineering: medical technology and electrical engineering.
With that kind of family history, it’s no wonder where Alyssa and Kealy Smith got the inspiration to pursue engineering as well.
Alyssa said, “When I was in middle school, I already knew what I wanted to do — design buildings. I was good at math in high school and have been heavily influenced by all the engineers in my life, I decided to go into civil engineering. Michigan Tech was the obvious choice.”
Given the trend in their family, it would come as a shock if the next generation of Young’s wouldn’t have their family’s love for engineering.
