Self-described Ambrosian breaks new ground

Keagan Dolphin '21, '23 MS Mechatronics Engineering, spends his days designing, programming, testing, and redesigning seed planters for John Deere. "Nothing ever works the first time," he said. "But when it finally does, it just lights me up."

Dolphin is one of the first to graduate from St. Ambrose University's new Master of Science in Mechatronics Engineering. Its emphases on machine learning, programming, and robotics may seem futuristic, but graduates emerge workforce-ready, with high-level expertise in all aspects of today's manufacturing process, from concept to field.

And industry wants them.

Just ask Dolphin. At 24 years old, he already serves as a design engineer for John Deere, in a position that allows him the flexibility to work from home, office, or field, with an income that invites him to explore investment opportunities. It's a heady experience for such a young guy.

"This is an amazing opportunity," he said. "I always wanted to be a roller coaster engineer, but I love working for Deere."

From Des Moines to Davenport

Dolphin grew up in east Des Moines, where he attended the poorest high school in the city. He excelled there in academics and sports, earning more letters than he can remember today. At graduation, he qualified for an alumni-sponsored college scholarship that allowed him to attend Iowa State.

"I thought I'd be able to handle a large college because I'd gone to a large high school. But the big lecture halls didn't feel right. I felt like a number. Also, I had broken my wrist so I couldn't play sports. It was not a good time for me."

Dolphin left after a year and began looking for a new home. He scheduled a visit at St. Ambrose.

"They had a great engineering department. I met with Andrew Lutz, PhD. He had an impact on me right there and then. The swim coach, Rob Miecznikowski, helped sell me on it. We talked for two and a half hours."

Ski, as Miecznikowski is known to his team, helped pull together a financial package that provided enough support to launch the new Ambrosian. Dolphin accepted and began a college career that felt right from the beginning.

"Being on the swim team gave me an immediate group of friends. As soon as classes started, I knew for sure that St. Ambrose was better for me. The connections the faculty had with top-level industry leaders made a huge difference. Every engineering professor was amazing and wonderful.

"St. Ambrose provides the rigorous curriculum of a large school and preparation for the workforce, but is one-on-one. That's not exclusive to the Engineering Department or Mechatronics program. It's school-wide. You're not just another number."

Becoming an Ambrosian

The stars aligned for Dolphin as he graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 2021. St. Ambrose's new mechatronics program was being rolled out, offering a blend of futuristic technology that would build upon his strong engineering foundation. Dolphin entered the program as he accepted a part-time job at John Deere, a decision that paid off many times over.

"I was offered a full-time job my second year in the program, and Deere paid for that year. It was a lot of work, but it's been my passion. I'm able to pay off my student loans easily. I can't imagine a better life right now."

Gaining a sense of financial security would fit most people's picture of success. But it's not what Dolphin cites when sharing his feelings about St. Ambrose. Instead, he describes his feeling of belonging and of being cared about.

"The one-on-one atmosphere felt so welcoming that I ended up doing everything while at St. Ambrose. I joined lots of clubs. I served as an international ambassador. I even hosted podcasts with my friends at Galvin.

"I was so happy. I was a part of a community that now includes friends from all over the world. St. Ambrose is a part of me. I definitely consider myself an Ambrosian."

The imagination to power the future

Mechatronics may be the future, but the future has arrived. St. Ambrose's new innovative Master of Science in Mechatronics Engineering educates new engineers in both the skill and imagination to power the new work. St. Ambrose is serving industries ranging from robotics to automotive, and aerospace to manufacturing.

"Most mechanical engineers are hardware-focused," Dolphin explains. "Mechatronics isn't confined to hardware. In other words, we don't have to turn the crank anymore. We program the machine to turn the crank for us."

John Deere's new robotics-based fertilizer system provides a good example. Because it delivers fertilizer only to the seed - and not along the whole row - it promises to use 60 percent less chemicals. That not only costs the farmer less, it is less impactful to the environment than traditional fertilizer application methods.

"I'm working on some projects I can't yet share," Dolphin said of his own groundbreaking work. "But the goal of them all is to enable farmers to be more informed and less subject to guesswork. When I get to see my designs in the field with the customer, it just lights me up. It's really great. My education is allowing me to do things that are not only cool, but are beneficial to others. This is really important to me."