Student Spotlight - Jaxon Kronberger
In the late 1990s, Jaxon Kronberger earned college credits while in high school through the Running Start program with hopes of continuing to a university. But a series of challenges including discrimination and homelessness led to missing her high school graduation by half a credit. Defeated, she gave up on her dream.
Almost 20 years later after being laid off, Jaxon returned to EvCC and finished her high school diploma in one class. “That completely changed my world,” she told a crowd of 450 at the EvCC Foundation benefit breakfast in 2017. “Everything I had dreamed before was suddenly feasible again. Though my interests had changed in the interim, I could still follow the intent of my plan.”
“Everything I had dreamed before was suddenly feasible again."
With help of an EvCC Foundation scholarship, she pursued her passion for technical, hands-on work. Jaxon’s first degree through EvCC’s Advanced Manufacturing Training and Education Center helped her land a job as a mechatronics technician at Boeing where she works with robots. Now, she has almost completed her second degree through AMTEC.
“Let's face it, it's hard to go back to school after a long hiatus,” said Jaxon, who was active in Student LIFE, helped create the EvCC food pantry, and led the Women in Advanced Manufacturing student club. “Being involved is what kept me coming back.”
Photo: Jaxon Kronberger inspects robotic tooling at Boeing. Courtesy of Boeing.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I'm a child of the 80s, which makes me 37 now. I'm a navy brat, raised along the west coast, mostly in Seattle, and I had always recognized Seattle as my hometown. I had ended up living in Marysville for four years of high school, the longest I had ever been in one place in my youth.
Currently a mechatronics technician at Boeing on third shift so that I can take night classes. I also volunteer as a member of the Board of Trustees for the YMCAs of Snohomish County.
Why did you choose EvCC?
Running Start was my original entry to EvCC in 1998-99. As a teen, I had found EvCC to be a safe space to be my authentic self due to different Links and Alliances/GLOBE events that were occasionally hosted on campus, and other positive experiences I recall from my time as a Running Start student. (Links and Alliances, as well as GLOBE, are Snohomish County based organizations that offer support, activities, and safe a meeting spaces for LGBTQIA+ youth aged 14-20.)
Many years later, after having moved back into the area, I had the opportunity to re-envision my life by meeting all the wonderful staff (like Jenn Rhodes), faculty (like Nina Benedetti), and students that so passionately strive to make life better and brighter through education.
What did you study at EvCC?
I received my high school diploma in Winter of 2016 from EvCC followed by several certificates, which culminated in an ATA in Precision Machining in June of 2017. This should be followed soon by another ATA in Mechatronics.
My plan is to continue my education, obtain a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and maybe take some classes on networking, and see what opportunities open from there.
What interested you about the precision machining and mechatronics programs?
Having spent much of my professional life in an office, I had discovered that I didn't actually thrive there. I really prefer fixing things or making something.
Exploring the machining and mechatronics programs allowed me to recognize an opportunity to be successful in an area that was previously denied to me thru familial expectation and social programming. Even though I had expressed great technical and mechanical aptitude as a young girl, I was often denied expression of that at home and discouraged from it at school because I was a girl.
As I got older, it became more apparent that it was OK to be smart but not to do anything with my hands, unless it was to be a doctor/surgeon. I didn't have any role models/figures that would help me work on mechanical things, limited tools & material, and opportunity to do so on my own while my focus was to remain more academic.
What skills did you learn at EvCC's Advanced Manufacturing Training and Education Center (AMTEC)?
AMTEC gave me the opportunity to hone my teamwork skills, as well as provided the technical and practical experience to develop my confidence in figuring out a repair and working around industrial equipment.
It gave me a path and a boost to follow my inclinations and prepared me for the jobs available out there in my field.
AMTEC also teaches the softer and professional side necessary for good job placement, and good practices to have in general: resume and portfolio building advice, practice interviews, professional expectations depending on the field, positive mental framework, and professional coaching.
These have all given me a head start on the thought process that makes being successful easier. Not easy, but easier. I’ve learned to stay positive, understand how businesses work and know my own worth. I learned to interview and negotiate, the attitude of being an asset to myself as my own brand and in doing so, being an asset to my company. I learned how to stay involved and engaged, how to work in teams with different minded people, and of course, the basics on how to do the job.
How do you think these skills are helping you to reach your professional goals?
The mechatronics program at EvCC is still relatively young, but it was enough that, combined with my past experience, it led me to a maintenance position at Cascade Coffee followed by an equipment service position at Boeing.
More and more maintenance positions are more than just mechanical. Electrical, technical, and even programming/networking expertise are required to resolve issues in advanced manufacturing.
Describe the best experience you had at EvCC.
My best experience at EvCC was being involved. Let's face it, it's hard to go back to school after a long hiatus. Being involved is what kept me coming back. It was in being part of a couple of clubs, attending Club Council meetings, being an ASB Senator, doing workshops, volunteering for the Students of Color Career Conference, affecting the school by being a part of various committees and helping to make changes and voting decisions that mattered to the students. I had great fun bonding with everyone and feeling like I made a difference.
What advice do you have for new students?
You have to take ownership of where you want to go from here, and then go for it. There will always be something more to learn; how do you want to apply it?
Is there anything you'd like to add?
Every EvCC employee I have met has been passionate about the success of the students. Whether it was a big or small victory for an individual, it didn't matter, except that they grew from where they started. That level of dedication is inspiring, and it can be the boost that is needed to help propel someone over any obstacles they may face.