Always setting and surpassing his goals, Engineering Technician Ben Melendez now proudly holds a Master’s degree.

Ben, who joined the AVEK family about three years ago, in September 2018, enrolled in the Master’s Degree Program at California State University, Northridge on August 24, 2019. As a full-time staffer at AVEK, Ben devoted his off-work hours to studies, taking him two years to complete the program. Though it wasn’t easy, he persisted with a sense of unwavering determination.

In addition to a Master’s degree in Science Engineering Management Ben received a Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management.

Because he encountered a travel challenge of arriving on campus in time for the start of class, he chose to take the online course, which followed the exact same curriculum. The online program enabled him to arrange class sessions around his work schedule. He enrolled in two classes every semester, “taking one at a time for eight weeks.” Summer session ran for six weeks. Ben considered online courses advantageous for students with full-time jobs.