Ben Nabozny

Ben Nabozny '06 chose Michigan Tech after receiving a scholarship his junior year of high school to spend time at Michigan Tech for a summer Forestry program. “It gave me the opportunity to check out the campus, meet current students and see how school projects and curriculum are approached. Having grown up with an appreciation for education, balance and culture, it didn’t take long to realize that Michigan Tech was the school for me.”

He says his favorite professor was Dr. Tess Ahlborn, who led his structural engineering class. “She is an industry leader and extremely passionate about her work. Her passion was contagious, and I thrived in my structural engineering classes because of it. In Dr. Ahlborn’s advanced structural engineering graduate class, if you received a perfect score on the final exam, you could sign your name on the back of her office door (there weren’t many signatures on her door at that time, so I took it as a serious challenge). I put in the work and aced the exam. Signing the door was rewarding and a pinnacle moment of reflection for me.”

While at Michigan Tech, Ben learned how to ski on Mont Ripley and enjoyed Winter Carnival. “Some of my most memorable experiences took place in the serene outdoors that surround Michigan Tech. My friends and I would drive to Copper Harbor and rent row boats on Lake Fanny Hooe in pursuit of catching our first Walleye. I also vividly remember hiking the Porcupine Mountains, the Presque Isle River and waterfalls. It was my way of refueling from the intense engineering curriculum.”

When asked how well Michigan Tech prepared him for his career Ben replied: “Joining the workforce, I felt well-prepared due to the “hands on” approach at Michigan Tech. It was also valuable to have professors who worked in the industry before teaching; understanding and bridging the gap between academia and real-life applications made me less “green” when starting my career.”

After graduating, Ben began as an entry level civil/structural engineer, specializing in upgrading the electric grid. He then progressed into learning electrical engineering and running entire projects and teams, to overall supervision and leadership of the department that he grew to about 100 professionals. Today, he leads projects across the region while managing an office in Detroit, Michigan.

Ben has started and leads an office for Burns & McDonnell, a 100-percent employee-owned engineering, construction, architecture, environmental, and consulting firm in downtown Detroit. “Since opening our doors in 2017, I’ve grown the office to about 25 professionals, some of the best in our industry. It has been fulfilling being part of the Detroit resurgence, helping to rebuild the city and creating direct engineering jobs, as well as construction opportunities. We’re working on exciting projects, while also getting involved in the community through outreach and volunteering activities.”

Ben is a registered Professional Engineer and holds licenses in six states.

When asked what advice he would give to students, Ben replied: “Focus on your grades and develop your skill-set through real-life experiences, while simultaneously developing your “soft” skills. Combining technical skills with strong interpersonal/communication skills will take you far in your career”

Ben supports Michigan Tech because: “I truly believe that the most effective and organic way to become successful is to make those around you successful. I am passionate about giving back to my community, encouraging students and supporting my team members so we can collectively make a bigger positive impact.”

Updated August 21, 2018