UA_Engineer_25_FINAL_spreads (1) - Flipbook - Page 28
| FEATURE |
Engineering Security:
HOW ALUMNA KRISTIN WILSON FOUND
HER CALLING IN THE U.S. SECRET SERVICE
by Brinkley Wood
n engineering degree from The University of
Alabama has taken our alumni to critical roles in
leadership and defense, to the farthest corners
of the globe, and even into outer space. For
electrical engineering alumna Kristin Wilson,
it’s led to a series of “mini careers” that ultimately
brought her to a role few engineers imagine:
the U.S. Secret Service.
Read how Wilson’s co-op and early career
experiences paved an unexpected path to one
of the nation’s most elite agencies.
A
Tell us about your early career journey.
When I chose to attend UA, I knew I would have to
昀椀nd a job to help pay for school since I would be an
out-of-state student. This led me to the Cooperative
Education Program. Co-op appealed to me because I
could gain work experience in my chosen degree of
electrical engineering while getting paid. I ended up
working with a telecommunication company called
Adtran and enjoyed my time there. I tried every kind of
job I could with Adtran. Nothing stuck, but I learned a
lot about myself. The biggest thing I learned was that
I didn’t want to be stuck in a lab or of昀椀ce every day.
After completing the Co-op program, I signed up for a
28 | CAPSTONE ENGINEER | FALL 2025
Wilson standing in front of a C-17 Globemaster III in Hawaii.
summer internship with Southern Company, speci昀椀cally
Georgia Power. I gained experience in a different
industry and learned that I wanted to travel the world.
As I looked for jobs after graduation, I focused
on international companies. I attended a Society of
Women Engineers national conference and heard about
a company called Schlumberger. I learned that they
pay their employees to travel the world, earning a good
salary with great bene昀椀ts. While interviewing with
Schlumberger, I was asked which role I wanted. Since I
didn’t know much about the oil industry, I was honest.
I told the interviewer I wasn’t sure but was willing to
try any job that allowed me to explore the world. She
looked up from her notes and said, “So you are looking
for a job to 昀椀t the type of lifestyle you want?” I replied,
“I have never thought of it that way, but yes,” and
we both smiled. Soon after, I was hired as a seismic
engineer for the company.
Schlumberger’s training program took me to remote
locations with limited resources and unique conditions,
such as living on a ship. It prepared me with the skills
to survive. Among other things, I learned about driving
in extreme weather conditions, marine survival and
昀椀re昀椀ghting. After all, you can’t call 911 if you’re
working on a ship in the middle of the ocean.
