By Karenna Glover
For as long as he can remember, Kevin Austin has always been a mathematical, analytical thinker. As a student at James River High School, Austin attended the Botetourt Technical Education Center (BTEC), and that’s where he connected his problem-solving mindset to a career path.
“I look at any situation through the analytical lens first; it’s just how my brain works,” he said. Austin chose to pursue a career in engineering but wanted to get there the most cost-effective way.
Through BTEC, Austin learned about Virginia Western’s engineering program and its pathway to four-year universities. After doing the math, Austin saw Virginia Western as a smart first step. He knew he made the right decision, as Virginia Western provided an affordable start to his education, he said. With the aid of part-time employment and tuition reimbursement through United Parcel Service (UPS), he was able to complete his first two years without the burden of student loans. Beyond the cost savings, what stood out most to Austin was the quality of instruction.
“I cannot say enough about those professors,” he said. “They’re not just concerned about their research; they love to teach and they just pour knowledge into their students.”
Austin earned his Associate of Science in Engineering from Virginia Western in 2022 and transferred to Virginia Tech, where he graduated in May 2025 with a bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. More than just cost savings and guaranteed admission, Austin credits Virginia Western with giving him the academic foundation and credit he needed to thrive.
“When I started at Tech I was worried about the rigor of the classes — that they’d be much harder than what I was used to,” he said. “But actually I was really blessed to take courses at the College. The rigor there gave me everything I needed.”
At Virginia Tech, Austin interned at Altec Industries, a Botetourt-based manufacturer of custom trucks, cranes and other equipment. After Austin graduated from Tech, Altec hired him as an applications engineer where he designs the structure and systems for trucking customers. Lining up a job before graduation is not always possible, but Austin credits the relationships he built during his internship as well as the academic preparation from both Tech and Virginia Western.
“I felt confident going into the workforce that I had the foundational skills to do whatever I need to do,” he said. “Between the knowledge I gained at both colleges and the hands-on work and interaction with employees in my internship, I was really set to step in and get started.”
Internship opportunities like Austin’s at Altec are made possible by Dr. Rick Clark, Program Head of Engineering at Virginia Western and adjunct engineering professor at Virginia Tech. Clark helps bridge the academic experience for engineering students like Austin who begin at the College and continue on to four-year programs. He also helps build relationships with employers in the area who need well-trained workers to fill jobs. Internship programs like the one at Altec help enhance students’ learning and also help build a pipeline of skilled and work-ready graduates to fill jobs of local employers.
“Altec wants forward-thinking students, and they recognize that Virginia Western students have the caliber and capability to perform well in internships and as full-time employees,” Clark said. “We’re in the business of producing the type of talent they want to hire.”
(This story was published in the Winter 2026 edition of Impact magazine, a publication of the Virginia Western Community College Educational Foundation.)
