I was born and raised in Ahmedabad, India—an amazingly colorful and vibrant city. There, I was blessed to have the opportunity to create many memories by playing soccer for my university team, traveling to multiple countries, teaching math and science to 8th graders, and leading the university’s motorsports team.

Despite these adventures, I discovered that there was plenty more that I could learn. After earning my Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Indus University in India, I decided to pursue higher education in America. I came to the States for the first time in August 2019 to start my Master of Science program in Astronautics and Aeronautics Engineering at Purdue University, where I also specialized in Data Science and Management.

At Purdue, I found myself driven by curiosity. I felt eager to work on different projects and learn new things. So, once I heard about enFocus, I knew it was the natural place for me to begin my career: somewhere I could work on a variety of meaningful projects that strive to make a positive difference in society.

Kartik (right) observing manufacturing processes while on a plant visit to an RV company’s lamination facility.

So far, the thing I’ve loved most about enFocus is the responsibility Fellows are entrusted with on projects. At enFocus, we refer to this concept as “ownership”--and it’s one of our most important values. Even early in my career, enFocus has already given me the opportunity to lead incredibly meaningful projects; I’ve been trusted to leverage my experience to provide recommendations about manufacturing process improvements in the RV industry–and I’ve even helped a start-up ideate and design brand new products. I never imagined that I’d be able to do these things so soon after graduating!

Though my projects may be unique, I know this experience is not unique at enFocus. I’ve joined a team that’s exceptionally diverse in culture, ethnicity, education, and experience–but each of us has similar goals, and enFocus’ Fellowship model has placed us on a collective path toward success, where we can apply what we’ve learned while continuing to learn and develop.

I was once encouraged to “close my eyes slightly, keep my mind wide open, believe in myself, and take the plunge to create a better, bigger, and brighter future.” I feel like I’m finally able to do that at enFocus, and I’d like to pass that advice on to others as we work together to drive change in the South Bend - Elkhart Region.