Saugat originally came to NYC from Nepal in 2012 as a middle school student. He had known he had always wanted to do something related to computer science or engineering and had excelled in math and science in Nepal. When it came time to select a high school he was met with many choices, but decided upon Energy Tech - a brand new school - after meeting with the principal and school representatives. The engineering focus, connection with Con Edison, and of course, the free associates program with LaGuardia, made the school highly attractive to him. He enjoyed the typical high school coursework but really valued all of the work-based learning opportunities he partook in. It was his first time having classes that focused on navigating a workplace, participating in mentoring programs with engineers, and getting hands-on career development while in school.
While he had initially chosen Energy Tech for the free associates degree program, it wasn’t until his Junior year that he was certain about staying for the entire program. He had considered applying to a 4-year university but he thought about all of the college credits he had earned through LaGuardia during high school (over 30 credits!), the connections he had made, and the cost of a college education. He quickly came to the conclusion that the LaGuardia program was the best choice for him and that choice certainly paid off as he successfully completed the program, graduating a semester early with his Associate of Science in Mechanical Engineering! He shortly transferred to City College and received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in December 2021. Saugat is now currently working as a Jr. Designer for Con Edison, one of our school partners, where he assists with the company’s drawing standards and management systems and with electrical and civil designs and research.
Although Saugat valued so many aspects of Energy Tech, the one thing he will always cherish about Energy Tech are the people he met. Being a student in a brand new school, he enjoyed the close-knit community and loved the times he spent with his peers whether it be playing basketball right after school or going to McDonald’s after college classes at LaGuardia. There was something special about consistently sharing classes with students who share a similar career path and interests and help each other grow. He is still close with many of those classmates as several are also currently employed at Con Edison.
Outside of school and work, Saugat enjoys following professional sports teams, such as the Knicks, Patriots, and FC Barcelona. He also enjoys playing videogames, traveling, hiking, and playing soccer.