Meet Leon Brittain, An Undergrad in Mechatronics Engineering 

By Tuwana Bias, Ms.ED
Capitol Tech's Lead Instructional Designer

When Leon Brittain graduated from high school in 2019, he knew he wanted to study electrical and mechanical engineering. A detailed search of post-secondary programs led him to Capitol Technology University’s Mechatronics Engineering program, which allows him to pursue both fields of interest simultaneously.

Leon appreciates Capitol’s unique college-to-career approach of allowing students to begin coursework in their field of study immediately upon starting their program. He considers this an advantage over other colleges as he is “not wasting time and money” by completing semesters of general education courses not relevant to his field. Leon’s family was fully supportive of his decision to study at Capitol because they, too, realized he would be gaining real-life work experience which will accelerate his career.

Since beginning his education at Capitol Technology in January 2020, Leon has completed his college courses entirely online, even though he lives on Capitol’s Laurel, Maryland campus. Living on campus allows Leon to remain close to his home in Maryland and take advantage of the traditional opportunities available through college campus life. Leon says he has had positive experiences with his counselors and advisors whom he states carefully guide students as they define their academic career paths. He values the direction he has received and acknowledged that the staff listens to students and helps them make decisions based on their interests.

Leon remarks on several other benefits to being on campus at Capitol Tech. First, he has in-person access to his instructors. Leon says his instructors are leaders in their respective fields who encourage him to stay abreast of industry trends and prepare for his career. Second, Leon’s student life is further enhanced by the on-campus events planned by the resident assistants and the study groups with his peers. Leon defines his on-campus experience as one in which he engages with “a good community of people focused on their field.”  Recently, Leon has become a Student Ambassador and begun a part time position with Capitol’s Online Learning Helpdesk where he will help students and instructors navigate the Canvas Learning Management System.

Fortunately, the coronavirus pandemic has not delayed Leon’s academic progress.  While he admits it posed some challenges, it did not hinder his degree advancement. In fact, Leon says he was able to take additional courses during the summer due to Capitol’s commitment to safely move forward safely during this crisis.

For students considering Capitol Tech, Leon says this university offers great networking opportunities in an online and on-ground community environment. For a student like him, Capitol was an easy choice as it offered the location, program, and staff he needs to successfully launch his engineering career.