Student Success Spotlight: Joshua Ndon

Do you want to go to Disney World without leaving your room? What about touring a factory from your kitchen? This might sound impossible, but NC State student Joshua Ndon made this a reality.

Joshua is a junior studying Electrical and Computer Engineering with a minor in Design Studies. He became involved with the Career Development Center’s Co-op program and landed a job with Toyota. During his second work rotation this summer, he developed the innovative technology IRIS (Immersive Reality Imaging System). IRIS uses 6 GoPro cameras positioned up, down, left, right, front, and back to capture a wide panorama. The spherical panorama is then displayed on a smartphone, which connects into a virtual reality headset. Using an app, you can then watch the video and change your view by turning your head in real life. This invention is revolutionary for companies such as Toyota because it presents a wealth of opportunity in research and evaluation. Joshua’s invention caught so much attention that IRIS became a trending topic, and he presented his invention to over 30 Toyota employees, including 3 vice presidents!

Joshua utilized numerous services offered by the Career Development Center to aid in his project. He worked closely with his Co-op coordinator to ensure success in his Co-op position. He also attended the LAUNCH series his freshman year in preparation for the Engineering Career Fair, which improved his ability to impress recruiters. Additionally, Joshua sought out other opportunities on campus, including the First Year College’s counseling services.

Joshua had the following advice for other students looking to succeed professionally: “Be proactive- seek workshops like LAUNCH to improve your general image. I encourage students to go to career fairs even if they are freshman or have little work experience. I got my Co-op my freshman year with dishwashing on my resume. Do Not Be Afraid to Fail. I went through a plethora of No’s before I got one Yes.”

Joshua was able to take an idea, make it a (virtual) reality, and gain national attention- all as a Co-op student! The possibilities are endless through this program, and Joshua is a stellar example of Co-op success.

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