About UP: Rising Stars

Sean Frederick '11

“Trying to adapt to a new culture and set of customs while simultaneously fitting in a fast-paced set of advanced engineering modules has me feeling as though I’m living the lives of two separate people,” Sean said. “It’s one of those adrenaline-rush times where every moment is packed and it’s hard to believe where all the days have gone.”

At the University of Liverpool, Sean is studying to receive an engineering masters of science degree. He is working on a course called Engineering Application of Lasers, which deals with the evolving use of laser technology in a variety of cutting edge fields. Areas that Sean is exploring with laser technology include laser materials processing, rapid prototyping, laser surface processing, and micro machining.

During his time at the University of Portland, Sean was a member of Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). After graduation this past May, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. His acceptance into the Fulbright Grant program was his first active duty assignment with the Air Force.

In the future, Sean plans to become a developmental engineer in the Air Force. He also intends to pursue a doctorate in mechanical engineering and become involved with research and development at the Department of Defense.

Although Sean has been enjoying his time abroad, being away from home has been difficult at times.

“Even so, it is in overcoming these hardships that the best lessons are learned, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Sean said. “Even in this short time, I believe I have become more resilient, better at controlling stress, and vastly more educated in the world and its people.”

Sean has fond memories of his time at the University of Portland.

 "UP is a fantastic university because it prepared me in more ways than I can count,” Sean said, “It gave me an academic home to which I can always return. I even met my wife there, and for that I will always be grateful.”

He adds that his UP degrees have been great in preparing him for his graduate school studies in two ways.

“First, they provided me with an excellent grounding in basic engineering concepts and techniques of analysis,” Sean said. “Second, and perhaps more importantly, my degrees taught me how to learn. Particularly in the UK, masters level students are expected to educate themselves in the things in which they are interested. UP, with its emphasis on self-improvement and knowledge for its own sake, instilled this in me from the beginning, and so I am a step ahead.”