Engineering His Future: Spring Graduate Landon Degner    

Hailing from the small town of Harleton, Landon Degner ‘22 starts a new adventure as a structural manufacturing engineer for Kiewit Offshore Services in June. He credits his heavy involvement as a student with propelling him forward into his career in marine engineering. 

As the president of the Aggie Gentlemen Society (AGS), vice president and then president of Maroon Delegates, vice president and then president of Sea Aggie Band, Training Director of SALT Camp, junior yell leader and more, Degner is committed to serving his community. 

He says that the Sea Aggie Band was his “gateway” to campus involvement–as a former drum major, he decided to join after seeing them perform at midnight yell his first year. During his tenure as AGS president, he started an initiative in the organization to get a collective 1,000 hours of community service for the 2022-2023 academic year. Between volunteering with The Big Event, cleaning up the highway that the organization adopted, volunteering around campus, and helping with events on Galveston Island, the organization passed its goal on Sunday, April 30.  

“As soon as I got involved, it was like everything in my life started to fall into place,” Degner told bldg. 311. “Since we go to Midnight Yell on Thursdays and Fridays, I like to say that this campus is twice as ‘redass,’ but that’s true at every turn – the Aggie Spirit is real in Galveston and the Aggie family has supported me throughout my time here.” 

As a first-generation college student, Degner was inspired by his older brother, Brandon ‘16, to attend Texas A&M University. He fondly remembers his introduction to Aggie culture in 2012. Though Degner originally planned to be at the Galveston campus for just two semesters before transitioning to the College Station campus, he soon learned about the marine engineering program and, while at the SALT Camp spring retreat, decided to change his major. He made it official the following fall. The Marine Engineering Technology degree provides an interdisciplinary education in marine propulsion, electrical power, electronics and maritime-related engineering, and, maybe most importantly for Degner, allowed him to get both principled theory and hands-on experience. 

Ultimately, his leadership experience on campus helped him develop the professionalism, time management and communications skills needed to excel at the beginning of his professional life. 

Mr. Gerard Coleman and Dr. Paul Potier, both professors of the practice in the Department of Marine Engineering Technology at Texas A&M-Galveston, have left a lasting impression on Degner. At Kiewit, Degner will be responsible for field operations, estimating and office engineering. He said that, in hindsight, their guidance and willingness to share their knowledge and expertise was invaluable during Degner’s academic career. “Their dedication to the practice and to their students are indispensable in launching my career and that of my classmates,” said Degner.

“Landon will leave [Texas A&M University at Galveston] equipped to be successful in engineering or technology,” said Potier. “His classroom work and campus involvement have prepared him academically and socially for the workforce and I hope that he has a productive and meaningful career.”

Kiewit Offshore is a leader in the fabrication industry. Located just outside of Corpus Christi in Ingleside, the company specializes in fabricating and integrating large, complex offshore projects. He hopes to eventually earn his Project Management Professional certification, a highly sought-after industry qualification. 

Though he’ll miss the Aggie family he’s found at the Galveston campus, Degner is first looking forward to commencement on May 12 and the shrimp boil his family is hosting in celebration afterward. But he is most excited to build an exciting, hands-on career that allows him to work with a team toward a common goal – and “doesn’t require sitting in a cubicle for forty hours a week.” He joked that he’s also looking forward to having “big kid money” to support himself and give back to the programs that helped get him to where he is today. 

Congratulations, gig ‘em and good luck to the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Class of 2023!