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Spotlight: Alumnus brings experience back to Mississippi

College opens up a world of opportunities for graduates. Literally, Bagley College of Engineering alumni often find themselves in exotic locations far away from their Mississippi homes. While these ventures mark important stages in budding careers, it is imperative to the future of the state that these professionals remember their roots. The fact is, Mississippi doesn’t just help nurture exceptional engineers, it also benefits from their expertise. It’s for this reason that Jason Corder, a 2000 civil engineering graduate, made the decision to return to the Magnolia State.

“I latched onto the worldwide concept immediately out of college and have been able to travel and work in many places,” Corder said. “After Hurricane Katrina, I began seriously considering moving back to Mississippi. I had spent my first six years out of college working on projects around the world and was ready to work in my own community.”

Corder, a Lucedale native, didn’t plan on moving back to his home state after graduation. In fact, as a college freshman he didn’t plan on becoming a civil engineer at all. Like many students, he discovered that his first major of choice wasn’t the best fit. Luckily, a desire to take advantage of cooperative education (co-op) helped him identify the problem early enough in his collegiate career that he didn’t waste time with unnecessary credits.

“As an industrial engineering major, I interviewed for several co-op positions. Although many of them were great opportunities, none of them fit,” Corder explained. “The idea to change to civil engineering came after I started working for a friend who is a land surveyor. I suppose a little practical experience, combined with major specific classes and some great new friends, really solidified my decision.”

Two work semesters with Roy Anderson Corp. helped Corder see how much potential is contained in an engineering degree, including his favorite aspect–construction. Even today, after eight years in the business, he enjoys the rush that comes from turning a set of plans into something tangible. To achieve this, he uses the technical foundation and problem-solving skills he learned as a student.

“As a new graduate, I was anxious to apply what I had learned and start solving problems immediately. I was very short-term focused,” Corder noted. “I quickly found out that there were few, if any, problems that I could solve outright, but there were plenty that I could learn from. That ability to learn was the greatest asset I had taken from MSU.”

Corder added, “Study is only the beginning of people imposing extremely high expectations upon you. Tight schedules, limited funds and conflicting data and priorities are a way of life for an engineer. A career in engineering is a lifelong commitment to learning and applying knowledge to everyday life. You have to embrace it and give it your all. It’s worth it.”

Now a resident of New Albany, Corder explained that during his career he has had the privilege of working with engineers from all over the United States and the world, but no matter the situation, he has never questioned the quality of his MSU education. Now, even though he enjoys picking up newspapers and even National Geographic to read about places he has worked, he never questions his decision to apply his world-class experience to development in Mississippi.

“Since the day I arrived back in Mississippi, I have felt right at home. I enjoy being a part of the development and improvement of the state with every project. I intend to be involved in community growth and progress. I want better schools for my children and for people to have more opportunities to work and live in Mississippi.”

By: Susan Lassetter