{"id":2880,"date":"2025-10-06T11:44:41","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T18:44:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=2880"},"modified":"2026-02-27T14:20:51","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T22:20:51","slug":"online-mechanical-engineering-program-graduate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/online-mechanical-engineering-program-graduate\/","title":{"rendered":"Oregon State\u2019s online mechanical engineering program graduates first student"},"content":{"rendered":"
Editor’s note: This article was originally published by the College of Engineering<\/a> in August 2025.<\/div>\n
\n

In June, Joe Kuzmanoff became the first graduate of\u00a0Oregon State University\u2019s online mechanical engineering bachelor\u2019s degree program<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 an accomplishment more than 25 years in the making and the culmination of an eclectic journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor years, I had been looking for a program that could be done 100% remotely,\u201d said Kuzmanoff, who describes himself as the quintessential nontraditional student. \u201cUntil the Oregon State Ecampus option came along, the choices were very slim.\u201d<\/p>\n

A long-brewing interest in engineering<\/h2>\n

Like many drawn to mechanical engineering, the 46-year-old from Grayslake, Illinois, had been captivated by mechanical systems since childhood. At 14, he restored a vintage Yamaha Enduro motorcycle. Later projects included an MGB GT \u2014 a classic British sports car \u2014 along with BSA and Triumph motorcycles.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned how to machine parts, and I had formal training in welding, and those skills gave me a tremendous amount of freedom,\u201d he said. \u201cStudying high-level engineering years later gave me the ability to design and fabricate my own parts and understand mechanical systems on a deeper level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kuzmanoff graduated from high school in 1997, then enrolled in an engineering degree program at a college in Chicago. Things didn\u2019t go as planned, so he opted for associate degrees in engineering, science, and arts, which he earned in 2001 from the College of Lake County, not far from his home.<\/p>\n

He later worked as a driving instructor before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2005. While stationed in Monterey, California, Kuzmanoff attended the Defense Language Institute and subsequently served as a cryptologic linguist and analyst specializing in Russian. His studies included a 47-week Russian language class.<\/p>\n

\u201cI took a number of courses and tests to get my linguistic certification,\u201d he said. \u201cThat was eye-opening, because I figured out how to study effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n

That newfound confidence and his improved study habits would pay off years later at Oregon State.<\/p>\n

Search for the ideal online mechanical engineering program<\/span><\/h2>\n

Nine years ago, Kuzmanoff began working as a math and science tutor at the College of Lake County. Though his ambition to earn an engineering degree never wavered, he still hadn\u2019t found a suitable remote option. Then COVID hit, and suddenly millions of college students were taking online classes, which convinced Kuzmanoff that nearly any degree could be completed through distance learning<\/a>. When Oregon State announced the 2023 launch of its fully remote, accredited mechanical engineering degree program, Kuzmanoff jumped in.<\/p>\n

“<\/span>For years, I had been looking for a program that could be done 100% remotely. Until the Oregon State Ecampus option came along, the choices were very slim.”<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Many of the credit hours he had accrued while earning his associate degrees applied to his bachelor\u2019s degree, but to squeeze in all of the credits he needed before his GI Bill benefits expired, Kuzmanoff consistently maintained at least a full course load (including one 20-credit term) and continued to work the maximum allowable hours at his job throughout the program. It was all worth the effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the material was fascinating,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd the further I progressed the more faith I had that I could tackle even the most difficult classes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The curriculum focuses on\u00a0mechanical engineering\u2019s computational track<\/a>, which emphasizes mathematical and computer-based methods to model, simulate, and analyze physical systems, explained\u00a0Andy Dong<\/a>, professor and head of the School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t replicate the hands-on activities typically associated with a conventional mechanical engineering curriculum,\u201d Dong said. \u201cHowever, the track emphasizes computational skills that are very much in demand for mechanical engineering jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

A fast-growing program<\/h2>\n

Kuzmanoff may have led the way as the program\u2019s first graduate, but he will be followed by many more students who recognize the opportunities it creates.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe projected that about 20 students would enroll in the first year,\u201d Dong said. \u201cBy the summer 2024 quarter, enrollment reached 85 students. As of Summer 2025, it had grown to 227 students, and another 38 students \u2014 and counting \u2014 have already registered for the fall term.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kuzmanoff visited Corvallis this summer for the first time to attend commencement and receive his degree.<\/p>\n

\"Joe<\/p>\n

\u201cI finally got to meet some of the faculty and staff who had helped me so much,\u201d he said. \u201cThe campus is absolutely beautiful, and the size of the commencement was amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kuzmanoff is now weighing his options, which include graduate school and finding an engineering position.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t do this with a specific dream job in mind, but it\u2019s opened a lot of doors,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel like my outlook is pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 3<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>In June, Joe Kuzmanoff became the first graduate of Oregon State University\u2019s online mechanical engineering bachelor\u2019s degree program \u2014 an accomplishment more than 25 years in the making and the culmination of an eclectic journey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":93,"featured_media":2881,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,6,3,677],"tags":[160,23,693,120,40,30],"class_list":["post-2880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-ecampus","category-features","category-students-and-alumni","tag-college-of-engineering","tag-engineering","tag-mechanical-engineering","tag-military","tag-military-students","tag-student-success"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Joe-Kuzmanoff-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-Ks","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1760,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/new-center-for-online-engineering-students\/","url_meta":{"origin":2880,"position":0},"title":"New center to advance online engineering education at Oregon State","author":"Keith Hautala","date":"May 5, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Oregon State University College of Engineering and Ecampus have announced a plan to launch a new center on campus for exploring innovation in online engineering education.","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ecampus computer science student, Mark Moore, works happily from his laptop.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Mark-Moore-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Mark-Moore-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Mark-Moore-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Mark-Moore-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2708,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/what-can-you-do-with-a-mechanical-engineering-degree\/","url_meta":{"origin":2880,"position":1},"title":"What can you do with an online mechanical engineering degree?","author":"Carly Fredericks","date":"January 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Explore jobs and careers you're prepared for with a mechanical engineering degree online A riddle for you: What do wind turbines, spacecraft and nanochips have in common? 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