Hard Work, Discipline and Ambition Lead to Bright Future for Mechanical Engineer
Dario Garcia likes a challenge. As the first in his family to go to college, Dario overcame many obstacles while navigating his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at University of Colorado at Boulder. He graduated in four years, landed a job at Intel as a Facilities Mechanical Engineer, and while there, knew he wanted to pursue a master’s in mechanical engineering, “before I got too comfortable.”
“The University of Texas at Austin (UT) had always been on my radar. When I discovered the (UT ) Cockrell School of Engineering offered an online option for a part-time master’s in mechanical engineering, that was perfect! I was able to balance my coursework, while working full-time, studying in the evenings and on weekends,” said Dario, who graduated in May 2025.
“The pacing was manageable and when I had conflicts with exams, my professors worked with me to find a solution to make them up. I felt well-supported by the faculty and TAs,” he said. “They were very approachable through direct email, Canvas and office hours.”
The UT Online Mechanical Engineering program is offered by Texas Engineering Executive Education, the professional development and continuing education unit of the Cockrell School. Students can complete their degree in as little as two years, which is what Dario was able to do.
“When I got admitted to UT, it was a no-brainer to accept the admission. The degree program was affordable, offered in a format I could balance with my work and personal life,” he said. “I liked that we didn’t have to do a thesis. Instead, the degree included more coursework that was directly relevant to my work.”
Impact to Career
Midway through Dario’s degree he took a position at Northop Grumman as a Parts Material Engineer. “My ambition was attractive to Northrop. They have a culture of investing in employees to grow in their careers and have a generous tuition reimbursement program.”
When I added my master’s degree as a new credential, so many more job opportunities popped up as possibilities for me.
Dario shared that Northrop has a job portal to help employees navigate advancement. It offers pathways, advice and the qualifications that are needed. “When I added my master’s degree as a new credential, so many more job opportunities popped up as possibilities for me,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it. I am interested in moving into the Aerospace area of our company.”
Takeaways from Degree
Dario listed his favorite courses as Applied Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer in Industrial Systems and the Product Design Lab courses that were project-based and focused on deconstructing and redesigning systems.
I learned how to take large scale issues and challenges and break them down in meaningful ways.
And what was his big takeaway from his degree? “I learned how to take large scale issues and challenges and break them down in meaningful ways.”
Hard Work / Sacrifice = Reward
As a first-generation college graduate, Dario knows the value of hard work, with his parents as role models. In Colorado, his father worked in the oil and gas industry and his mother in human resources. Dario began his journey into higher education just seven years ago and now he has achieved two engineering degrees with many promising new opportunities to look forward to. And what is his advice to those wondering if an engineering master’s degree at UT is worth it? He said, “Just go for it!”
