Redefining the starting line

One question was all it took for a math adviser at Northwest Vista College — part of the Alamo Colleges District — to determine that Jonathan Kiser would begin his engineering journey from square one.

For a homeschooled student whose standardized test scores had already shut the door on his dream schools, it seemed like a dead end. But while the adviser saw a student who wasn’t ready for college math, Kiser saw something else: a place to start.

“The adviser asked me one quadratic-related question and put me in intermediate algebra,” Kiser said. “At the time, I looked up which mechanical engineering program was the best in Texas and made it my goal to attend Texas A&M University. I toured the campus and asked how I could transfer into the program, and was told I would have to maintain primarily A’s throughout my community college journey to have a chance. It was definitely an uphill climb that I was willing to take on.”

From that moment, Kiser made it his mission to maintain a grade-point average that would allow him to fulfill his dream of becoming an Aggie engineer.

“Going into community college, I wanted to prove to myself that I was smarter than I thought,” Kiser said. “Every class, I would try my best. I would do the readings, study and turn in homework on time.”

During his fourth semester at Northwest Vista, he was on track to transfer to Texas A&M when his mother came across a program on Facebook — the Texas A&M Engineering Academy program at Alamo Colleges District.

“I ultimately joined the Engineering Academies because they offered a better experience for students. I was an Aggie from day one and got to start engineering classes earlier with the same cohort,” Kiser said. “This program was my ticket to getting into Texas A&M Engineering.”

Kiser’s early excitement and commitment to the program were soon challenged when his father’s service in the U.S. Air Force led his family to an unexpected relocation. This forced him to make a pivotal decision: follow his family or stay the course.

“While I was attending Northwest Vista, my family received station orders to move to Florida,” Kiser said. “Instead of pivoting universities, I decided to move back to Texas and rent an apartment while finishing my last two semesters of engineering courses.”

Without his family nearby, Kiser began to question his ability to keep up with the rigor of the coursework.

“Going into the Engineering Academy and taking university-level courses was worrisome,” he said. “However, while the classes were challenging, I was well-prepared. Everything I needed to know to pass, I was taught.” 

After two semesters in the program, Kiser had built the confidence, foundation and grade-point average needed to transition to his dream university. 

“When I started community college, I heard that I would have to ace every class up to Calculus II and Physics II to get into mechanical engineering. At that time, it sounded like a near-impossible task,” Kiser said. “In my first semester at College Station, I looked back at my community college transcripts that showed 78 credit hours with a 4.0 GPA. I was even able to auto-admit into mechanical engineering — that was a moment I will never forget.”

Eager to expand his understanding of mechanical engineering, Kiser pursued and earned two internships with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

“The first rotation I did with USACE covered air conditioning, plumbing and waterworks in mechanical design. The second summer, I worked in operations, conducting lock and dam inspections,” he said. “It was a very insightful experience and the first time I worked as a hands-on mechanical engineer.”

Building on that foundation, Kiser has approached his time at Texas A&M’s main campus with the same drive and curiosity, making it his mission to maximize every aspect of college life. He has served as the safety manager and merchandise officer for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) go-kart team and represented the Engineering Academies as a student ambassador.

“Because of the Academies, I fulfilled my dream of becoming a mechanical engineer at Texas A&M,” Kiser said. “I wanted to give back to the program that helped me get here and inspire other students to do the same.”

After two years as an Engineering Academies student ambassador, he was formally elected as president for the 2025–26 academic year.

“It has been such a growth opportunity to lead the ambassadors and give back to the Academies,” Kiser said. “I remember arriving in College Station for the first time for a campus engagement, sitting in the front row and watching the student panel. I never imagined I would become the one to help organize them.”

In this role, Kiser has mentored hundreds of students, using his own journey to champion a singular message: the danger of measuring your potential against someone else’s progress.

“The most helpful advice that got me through college is not to compare your journey with others,” he said. “But if you do, use it as a motivation to spend more time in the class to improve, rather than beating yourself up. There will be periods of low grades, but you are worth more than your grades or major.”

Upon graduation in May 2026, Kiser plans to continue his education by earning a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, passing the fundamentals of engineering exam, and ultimately securing a professional engineering license.

“The plans I have for the future would be annulled if I gave up continual learning,” he said. “One of the driving factors in my pursuit of engineering was the opportunity to learn for the rest of my days.”

Kiser credits much of his success to the Texas A&M Engineering Academies for providing an alternative pathway to earn his engineering degree.

“I received a second chance at my dream of becoming an Aggie,” he said. “I would not be pursuing mechanical engineering at Texas A&M if it were not for the Engineering Academies. I am grateful for that.”