About Serving our Country
What made you decide to serve our country?
FB: I had always wanted to help people and wanted to feel like I was part of something bigger than myself, and to me joining the military was one way I could do that.
ZP: I was in school when 9/11 happened, and I remember the fear and sadness it brought to my family and community. I also grew up in a military family, so serving felt like a natural path for me. I graduated from high school and left for Navy boot camp about a month later.
What did you learn during your time in the military?
ZP: One of the biggest lessons I learned is that no one accomplishes the mission alone. It takes a team working together to overcome obstacles. In 2022, I deployed overseas in support of a special operations unit, where I learned the importance of remaining calm under pressure and doing my job to the best of my ability. In high-pressure situations, other people are relying on you to know your responsibilities and maintain your composure. That experience taught me a lot about teamwork, accountability, and trusting the people around you.
What do you miss most about serving?
FB: I miss the people and friends I served with. We all came from varying backgrounds, different places, and joined for different reasons. Despite all of that, we all looked out for one another and grew strong bonds through the good times and the bad times. I’m still in contact with many friends from my time in the military and I would’ve never met so many great individuals had I not served.
ZP: What I miss most is the people I served with. When you spend months deployed together, you develop incredibly strong friendships. Many of my friends from the Navy are like family to me, and they played a significant role in helping me get to where I am today. I'm extremely grateful for those relationships.
What was your proudest moment while serving?
FB: My proudest moment was seeing the impact I had as a leader on the individuals I was placed in charge of. I didn’t always have the best mentors in the beginning of my service, so I knew once I was in that position that I would try and be better than those before me. I knew that once I was gone everything would continue to operate smoothly because I had done my job to train my team and impart onto them all the knowledge they would need to succeed and that was a very proud feeling.
About Brown and Brown Engineering
Why did you choose Brown, why Brown engineering, and what do you hope to do with your Brown degree?
ZP: I was drawn to Brown partly because of Rhode Island's involvement in offshore wind energy and Brown's commitment to sustainability. During my sophomore year, I decided to pursue mechanical engineering because I wanted to better understand the physical systems and technology used to collect the environmental data I had spent years working with in the Navy. As an Aerographer's Mate, I analyzed meteorological and oceanographic data to support operational planning and decision-making. That experience sparked my interest in the instruments and observing systems that collect the data used in numerical weather prediction and climate models. Throughout my ten years in the Navy, I developed a greater appreciation for how environmental conditions affect people, equipment, and infrastructure. With the growing challenges presented by climate change, I hope to use my engineering degree to help develop technologies and infrastructure that can better adapt to a changing environment.
FB: It’s sort of a cliche, but I chose Brown for the open curriculum. Before I came to Brown I was studying computer science but when I was admitted I thought that I would do electrical engineering. I had always wanted to study electrical engineering, but I thought it would be too difficult and that maybe I wouldn’t be able to do it. I’m glad to say that I’m now in my senior year. The journey has definitely been challenging, but I don’t regret it for a second and I’ve learned so much more than I thought I could. With my degree I hope that I can go out and make a difference in the world. I don’t want to limit myself to any industry but if something really speaks to me and I can do work that is very impactful, then that’s what I want to be doing.
Looking back on the decision to study here, where did you find a sense of belonging?
ZP: I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to study at Brown. I've learned so much since arriving here, and even though the coursework can be difficult, I genuinely appreciate being able to study these subjects. The veteran community has played an important role in helping my wife and me adjust to life in New England. When we moved here from San Diego, we didn't know a single person. Fortunately, the veteran community welcomed us and helped us get settled. I'm very grateful for the people we've met and the support we've received since moving to Rhode Island.
About you
What was the hardest part about going from a rigid, structured routine to a more flexible student schedule?
ZP: One of the hardest adjustments has been learning to manage my own schedule. In the Navy, we had a plan of the week that outlined where we needed to be, what we needed to wear, and what was expected of us. There was also an established structure for things like physical training, medical appointments, and professional qualifications. In college, you have much more independence, but that also means you're responsible for creating your own structure. I've had to learn how to balance my coursework, personal responsibilities, and taking care of myself without having someone else establish that routine for me.
What study habits or mental frameworks from the military have actually helped you more in college than they did in the service?
ZP: The military gave me a much stronger sense of discipline and responsibility when it comes to completing work and meeting deadlines. Those were things I struggled with more when I was in high school, but they've helped me tremendously as I've worked toward my degree. The Navy also taught me how to handle setbacks and keep moving forward. If I do poorly on an exam or struggle with an assignment, I'm better at accepting what happened, learning from my mistakes, and moving on. I also think the stress of college is different from what I experienced in the military. That doesn't necessarily make it easier or harder. It's just a different kind of stress, and I'm still learning how to adjust to it.