Biosketch
My name is Clinton Ngamne, and I am a first-generation college student who experienced financial hardships while I was in high school, which had a major impact on how I thought about college, my future, and the opportunities that were available to me. During high school, I became involved with an Early College program called Advanced Standing Associates Program (ASAP), which eventually helped introduce me to Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (BFIT) and gave me a pathway toward continuing my education.
Attending Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology became an important part of my journey because it gave me the opportunity to pursue engineering and technology despite some of the challenges I had experienced earlier. It led me to study Renewable Energy Technology at BFIT and graduated with my associate degree in 2024.
My time there helped me grow both academically and personally and showed me that I was capable of continuing further in engineering. I also worked in BFIT's Admissions Office, where I was able to work with students and gain experience helping others navigate college. After BFIT, I decided that I wanted to continue challenging myself and pursue my bachelor's degree, which eventually led me to transfer in the Fall of 2025 to UMass Lowell to study Industrial Engineering.
Coming into a larger university as a transfer student was a major adjustment, but it pushed me forward to be more involved. This led me to be involved and build a community for myself and other students and one of the biggest steps I took was helping establish the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Student Chapter at UMass Lowell. Even though I was a new transfer student, I took the time to find other interested students, recruit an executive board, work with faculty and university staff, and help get the organization established. I am now the founder and president of the chapter, where one of my goals is to connect students with manufacturing professionals, companies, networking opportunities, industry experiences, and professional development.
Helping other students has also been very important to me because I worked as an Early College Success Coach, helping high school students with things such as orientation, registration, re-enrollment, and adjusting to the college environment. I enjoy helping students who are trying to figure out their own educational paths because I understand what it is like to not always have a straightforward path yourself.
Professionally, I gained hands-on manufacturing experience at Analog Devices as manufacturing assembly operator in semiconductor manufacturing, where I worked with electronic and microelectronic assemblies, followed detailed manufacturing processes, learned how important quality, consistency, and attention to detail are in a manufacturing environment. That experience allowed me to connect what I am learning as an Industrial Engineering student to what actually happens on a manufacturing floor and strengthened my interest in manufacturing, quality, operations, and process improvement.
Looking at the future, I hope to build a career where I can combine engineering, manufacturing, continuous improvement, and leadership while continuing to develop professionally and help others along the way. A major part of my story is that my path has not been completely traditional. I went from experiencing financial difficulties in high school, to finding an opportunity through ASAP and BFIT, earning my associate degree, transferring to UMass Lowell, gaining real-world manufacturing experience, and taking on leadership responsibilities within the engineering community.
Being part of the Shah Academy represents another step in that journey for me because I want to continue developing not only as an engineer, but also as a leader and communicator. I want to learn from professionals who have built successful careers, understand how they overcame challenges and made important decisions, and use those lessons as I determine the kind of engineer and leader I want to become. As I continue moving forward, giving back is also important to me, especially helping other students who may have faced challenges or who may not initially see a clear path for themselves realize that there are opportunities available to them.