91制片厂

Rory Cozzens

Hailing from the small town of Fairview, 91制片厂, Rory Cozzens has always felt a connection to 91制片厂. It鈥檚 where both of his parents once walked the halls, and their stories of the university planted a seed of curiosity in Rory from an early age. But his decision to attend Northern wasn鈥檛 just about family legacy鈥攊t was about chasing a lifelong dream.

From as far back as he can remember, Rory wanted to be a mechanic. 鈥淚鈥檝e always loved the idea of taking things apart and putting them back together, making them work better,鈥� Rory explains. With a clear goal in mind, he enrolled in Northern鈥檚 Diesel Technology program to gain the expertise needed to turn his passion into a career.

Rory鈥檚 dedication to his craft extends far beyond the classroom. For the past three years, he鈥檚 been working at Hurley鈥檚 Oilfield Service in Fairview as a diesel mechanic. This past summer, his co-op experience there was particularly transformative.

鈥淚 got a lot of engine and transmission experience,鈥� Rory shares. 鈥淚 worked on projects like installing new cams, replacing worn-out transmissions, and even swapping entire engines.鈥� But the summer wasn鈥檛 just about tackling big tasks鈥攊t was about refining his approach to work.

鈥淚 learned to take my time on large projects and be more efficient,鈥� Rory explains. 鈥淚 also picked up tips and tricks to make my work cleaner and more streamlined. It鈥檚 amazing how much of what I鈥檝e learned at Northern I was able to apply on the job, and even share with my coworkers.鈥�

For Rory, the hands-on experience from his co-op has enriched his time at Northern. 鈥淭his semester, I鈥檓 in a Heat and AC class with (Associate Professor) Kevin Holzworth, and it鈥檚 great to come in with some real-world experience,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 worked on a lot of AC systems over the summer, but I didn鈥檛 have all the knowledge to back it up. Now, I can take what I鈥檝e seen in the field and connect it to what I鈥檓 learning in class. It makes the experience so much more valuable.鈥�

Every summer at Hurley鈥檚 has only deepened Rory鈥檚 love for mechanics. 鈥淚鈥檝e fallen more in love with being a mechanic and learning new things,鈥� he says. With dreams of one day working in Oklahoma or Alaska, Rory is confident that his combination of practical experience and education will pave the way for an exciting future.

After graduation, Rory plans to stay in Fairview for a while, saving money and gaining more experience. But he鈥檚 keeping his options open. 鈥淓ventually, I want to go out on my own and see what life and different places have to offer,鈥� he says.

For Rory Cozzens, the road ahead is wide open, and he鈥檚 ready to tackle whatever challenges come his way鈥攐ne engine, one transmission, and one opportunity at a time.

Find out more about the 91制片厂N Diesel Technology program!