Jack Henderson ‘18 has always loved the idea of being an astronaut, flying a spaceship or being a captain of an aircraft. That childhood dream is becoming a reality through engineering as Henderson is currently excelling in the aerospace industry through his co-op opportunity. 

“I always loved the idea of aerospace,” Henderson said. “I’m still interested in being a recreational pilot but I’m more interested in engineering now. Engineering has definitely become my passion.”

Henderson, a Mechanical Engineering major, has completed four co-op terms at Barnes Aerospace in Lansing. Barnes Aerospace is a leading engineering and manufacturing firm for commercial and military-grade aerospace solutions. Through his co-op, Henderson’s passion has shifted from flying to aviation engineering.

“I didn’t know how interconnected everything was with business and the manufacturing of parts for the aerospace industry,” Henderson said.

Henderson has had the opportunity to work on government projects, document management systems for routers and overall parts management on the factory floor. He’s exceeded in all his assignments to-date and hopes to continue to expand his responsibilities in the upcoming terms.

“Jack has exceeded expectations this semester which is rare compared to other co-op students,” said David Bowers, Senior Project Engineer at Barnes Aerospace. “His efforts were rewarded with a Bravo Award. He is the first co-op student to have ever achieved this honor and recognition.”  

Henderson is grateful for the guidance and mentorship that Bowers provides and asserts that his experiences would be different without the support from his boss as he’s “set him up to succeed.” In addition to engineering, Henderson has acquired countless soft skills in the workplace such as communication, collaboration and project management.  

Henderson completed part of his high school career in Dubai and the other in Northville, Michigan due to his father’s employment opportunities at Ford Motor Company. He first learned about Kettering from his father’s co-workers who were Kettering alumni.

Henderson desired a unique experience which is why he chose Kettering even though it didn’t offer the exact major he was interested in. Through the versatility of a Kettering engineering education and co-op, the curriculum and work experience has solidified and expanded his professional desires.

“It’s different and that’s what I wanted,” Henderson said. “Engineering is definitely what I want to do for the rest of my life. It doesn’t matter what type of engineering you go into. It’s such a huge field. You can get your degree in mechanical or electrical and can but you can go into any field that you want to. Whatever your passion is, you can pursue it with an engineering degree.”