theLAKER | 7 Mitch Hill ’22 knew exactly where to look when he needed to fill an opening in his lab at Optical Gaging Products, a maker of precision measurement tools. He contacted Professor Sam Samanta, his advisor and the coordinator of the smart systems technologies (SST) degree program. SST combines physics and industrial technology courses to prepare students for careers in automation, robotics, and mechatronics. Mitch valued the earn-while-you-learn element of the SST program. He found work with OGP in fall 2021 so his day job could double as his required co-op experience. A co-op is a paid internship that can lead to permanent work. Within eight months, his supervisor left, Mitch was promoted to manager, and he had to backfill his previous position. Sam recommended Nicholas J. Kirchgessner ’24. Nick completed his co-op experience at OGP in March 2024 and has been there ever since. In 2025, company growth made a new hire necessary, so Mitch turned again to Sam. Andrew Hall ’26 started his co-op experience in March 2025 and now rounds out the trio of employees in the OGP calibration lab. “It makes a big difference when you get someone with similar experience. It’s a nice pool to pick from,” Mitch said. “I’ll probably continue to hire from FLCC.” Learn about Andrew Hall’s experience on the College blog at flcc.edu/news Building a team, one grad at a time For these interns, it’s showtime From left, Nick Kirchgessner ’24, Andrew Hall ’26 and Mitch Hill ’22 stand in front of the linescale bench at Optical Gaging Products in Rochester. The instrument employs laser interferometry to make very precise measurements using the wave properties of light or sound. It also controls the room’s temperature, air pressure and humidity, because changes in the air can affect measurements. Products like computer chips and medical implants require such exacting measurements as part of quality control. FLCC students have earned course credit while practicing camera operation, direction, and technical direction at CMAC every summer since 1999. Direction requires quick thinking to give instructions to camera operators to pan or zoom. Technical directors switch the screen feed among three or more cameras to best capture the performance while thousands of fans watch. photos by rikki van camp Dom Crance ’25 operates a camera during a Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra performance while listening for instructions from the director in the control room. Jeff Kidd ’05, who was a CMAC intern while a student, now oversees the summer experience. Here, he coaches Isabella Thorman and Zach Bowman ’25 while performers rehearse. As part of the experience, students write journal entries about their concert duties, such as troubleshooting a technical problem in real time. Communications students Mark Musembi and Zach Bowman ’25 interned at the Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center in summer 2025, projecting live images from the stage onto the amphitheater’s big screens.
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