CHAMPION, Ohio – Carolynn Coonce knew how to install an air conditioner before she set foot in a college engineering lab.
She later determined she wanted to redesign how those systems worked.
A mechanical engineering technology major at Kent State University at Trumbull, Coonce is building on her hands-on background from the Trumbull Career & Technical Center to pursue a future focused on design, efficiency and problem-solving. She expects to graduate in 2027.
Coonce, a graduate of TCTC and Mineral Ridge High School, studied heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration at the career center. Last summer, she worked in the heating and cooling industry at Mazza Heating and Cooler, owned by her uncle, Rick Mazza.
“I learned a lot working with him and his crew; however, I became more interested in the engineering behind the mechanics. I wanted more,” Coonce said. “I aspire to make systems work more efficiently by focusing on their design and mechanical properties, especially when it comes to comfort and air quality.”
That realization led her to engineering and to KSU at Trumbull.
“I chose Kent State Trumbull because it’s closer to home; it’s lower cost; and when I toured, I just knew it was somewhere I wanted to be,” she said. “Everyone was so welcoming and friendly.”
Coonce credits David White, a former TCTC HVAC and refrigeration instructor, with helping her recognize her potential.
“He saw that I had a mind for math and pushed me to move into something bigger and better, something that would challenge me and pay off in the long run,” she said.
Now enrolled in the mechanical engineering technology program, Coonce is getting exactly that challenge. The program emphasizes applied learning and blends theory with real-world technical skills.
“So far my engineering classes have been very enjoyable,” she said. “My professors, Dr. [Mohammad] Irfan and Michael Kohuth, have not only influenced us to learn something new, but to be hands-on so we advance our knowledge and know-how.”
That hands-on approach has included welding, casting and small machining projects – experiences Coonce says have helped her grow more confident in the lab.
“The hardest thing I’ve done so far is the CAD work,” she said. “It took some adjusting to learn how to do certain computer tasks, but once you keep working at it, it starts to click.”
For students considering the mechanical engineering technology program, Coonce offers some advice.
“Be up to the challenge,” she said. “It can get hard, but as long as you try, you’ll continue to learn how to do things the proper way. I came into this program with zero experience, which doesn’t matter as long as you pay attention, ask questions and always try your best.”
CREDIT: Kent State University at Trumbull.
Pictured at top: Michael Kohuth and Carolynn Coonce.