Service Engineer Accomplishes Life-Long Dream by Earning a Master’s in Engineering Technology from Purdue

James Price, core lead in service engineering at Whirlpool, is a proud Hoosier. He was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana and describes himself as a Midwesterner through and through. Like many Hoosiers, he grew up hearing about Purdue University and its legacy in sports and academics, particularly engineering and technology. After he began a career in the engineering field, he found himself connecting with other engineers who had gotten their start at Purdue, and it inspired him to start thinking about what he could do with a Purdue degree. 

“I know many people in the South Bend and Indianapolis areas who have graduated from Purdue and started these great careers,” Price said. “So [going to Purdue] just became one of those home state dreams.” 

Price’s dream of going to Purdue materialized in the university’s online Master of Science in Engineering Technology program. Price found the program at a pivotal moment in his career when he felt unsure of where to go next. The director of his department at Whirlpool suggested that he go back to school for a master’s because it could expand his career horizons and give him more advanced technical training. When he learned that Purdue had an online master’s in engineering technology, the field Price worked in, he jumped at the opportunity to apply and enroll.

“[Getting into Purdue’s program] was an accomplishment I was so excited to share with my family, friends and peers,” Price said. 

Price picked an online program from Purdue because he needed something that would fit into his busy schedule as a working engineer and dad. He commutes an hour a day to get to work, and he also tries to make it to his kids’ games and practices after the workday ends. Purdue’s online program gave him the flexibility he needed to do both. 

“With studying online, I could concentrate and dive deep into the courses when it was convenient for me,” Price said. “The online learning experience is what you make it, so I tried to make it the best it could be.” 

Through earning his master’s in engineering technology, Price had the opportunity to look at the tech industry from a new, deeper perspective. He has always considered himself a tech-savvy person, but Purdue’s program pushed him to consider more deeply how technology is shaping the future, and how he can better understand the changes to come. 

“The future of technology is constantly changing,” Price said. “Going through Purdue’s program was the best thing I could do to better understand technology. It opened my eyes wider than I thought they could be.” 

According to Price, getting an advanced degree as a working professional can be challenging — it’s a lot of work, and it can feel like a sharp learning curve. His advice to other professionals who want to continue their education is to start slow and embrace new challenges.  

“It’s difficult at first, but the more you read, the more you get the experiences that your classes offer, the more you work with your instructors and teammates, the more you’ll start to understand,” Price said. 

Looking back on his time in the program, Price is amazed by how much he’s learned, and how applicable it is to his career. He still uses some of his textbooks and readings when he’s at work, and he also finds himself referencing them in his personal life. They’ve imparted valuable lessons that Price is taking with him as he moves forward in his career. But, more than anything, his time with Purdue has helped him feel more connected to Indiana. Even though he’s completing his degree online, he’s still a Boilermaker — in many ways, it’s a life-long dream come true. 

“Purdue makes me proud that Indiana is my home,” Price said. “It’s really a big thing for my family to see me go through this experience and walk in the footsteps of all the prestige and talent that came before me. It overwhelms me with pride and joy.” 

To learn more about Purdue’s online Master of Science in Engineering Technology, please visit the program’s webpage.