Geomatics, Math and Athletics: The Magic Success Mix for Alumna Rhonda Dodge

Name: Rhonda Dodge, Class of 2016, Klamath Falls Campus

Degree(s): BS Geomatics/Surveying Option and BS Applied Mathematics

Accomplishments while at Oregon Tech: Only student to ever receive NAIA recognition 6 times, Team captain for Cross Country, Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon Scholarships

Current job title & place of employment: Oregon Department of Transportation in Salem, OR

What did you like most about your time at Oregon Tech? I liked the small size and how focused students are on their program.

What do you like most about your profession? I enjoy being outdoors and the math and problem solving that is involved on a daily basis. It never gets old!

How long after graduation did it take you to find a job? After I graduated, I was encouraged by one of my professors, Jack Walker, to attend Purdue University’s graduate program in Remote Sensing. It is a 2-year program but I finished in one year while also being a TA in the surveying classes. I got my job at ODOT three months later.

Did you participate in any intern/externships during your time at Oregon Tech? I spent a summer working at Hawaiian Electric Company in Honolulu.

How do you feel your time at Oregon Tech prepared you for your current job/continuing studies? All of the hands-on classes at Oregon Tech really prepared me well for my job. At other schools, students learn the theory but at Oregon Tech we were actually working with the instruments starting our first year. The CAD classes were also very important for the work I do, and if I had not had those courses, I wouldn’t know what to do. Employers don’t have time to train employees so my coding classes at Oregon Tech were really important.

Do you maintain professional relationships with any of your professors? I stay in touch with professors Mason Marker and Jeff Walker. There were only two women in my class of 12 students that graduated together and we all keep in touch and still get together.

What advice would you give to a current student at Oregon Tech? Spend as much time with your professors outside of class, and during their office hours. They have industry experience and you can learn so much from them, even outside the classroom.