By Cole Klassen
Space, the final frontier, a destination filled with sights not seen here on Earth. Space may seem far away, but a former TPA student is making it closer. Meet Lisa Dischinger, a 2013 graduate of Tempe Prep. Lisa now works at SpaceX, a company founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk, which designs, manufactures and launches rockets and satellites. It makes headlines through its quest to make space travel cheaper and more affordable.
But how on earth did a graduate from a liberal arts high school get involved with such a technical business? According to Lisa, she “Ended up at SpaceX after a couple attempts. I applied through their online applications and went to many of their on-campus events such as the career fairs and specialized info sessions. I had an interview for one spot about a year ago, messed up that interview, but then I tried again and it worked out the second time. What really helped me get in, as in anywhere, is that I have a lot of technical experience. I am active on my campus in the machine shops and robotics club, along with the built-up experience of my other internships. My biggest advice for getting jobs is to get experience; there is a lot that cannot be taught in the class.”
Lisa had a lot of technical experience, but how can someone get that in Humane Letters? Well, it might not teach you how to build rockets, but Lisa says “My education with TPA has helped me in that it stressed getting experience and knowledge across multiple areas of study. Really, it is tough to see how a school that stresses on the liberal arts can give you an advantage at a highly technical company, especially since it’s been awhile since I attended TPA. But I would agree that being able to be a big part of both sports and technical extracurricular has taught me very important working characteristics, and I think TPA taught me to be a more well-rounded and balanced person.”
Lisa also believes that “The biggest benefit TPA has had for me has been to teach me to find value and beauty in things that are not technical. So much of my life right now is centered around designs and analysis, but I am so thankful for the people in my life and classes that I took during high school that let me see more than that. It is tough for me to look back onto the classes or curriculum that I partook of and see how they have benefited me because they are fundamental and a base which I have since built upon, but they are not the tools that I use every day in my work; that is what college is for.
“That being said, TPA taught me to be creative in what I find beautiful and valuable, to understand what makes good arguments/proofs, and to really not shrink from a challenge when it comes your way. Yes, having technical knowledge is great and experience is priceless, but having integrity and being teachable is just as important and I definitely would say that I learned that from TPA. There are many times when I have not had the answer or known the correct method of going about my work, but as long as I show respect and willingness to be up front with my coworkers, people are generally really willing to help and make the overall project succeed.”
TPA’s curriculum, while not providing the technical experience, gave Lisa other skills as well. She also advised students: “Don’t take yourself too seriously. Get active in what you like. This is not me telling you to sign up for as many extracurricular as possible. Dedicate yourself, it will be more enjoyable and fulfilling for you and when you go into an interview they will know rather quickly if you just signed up or if you have actually gotten your hands dirty.”
Lisa also had many fond memories about TPA, from playing basketball to participating in the school’s robotics club. Although she does not remain in contact with many of those people, she would not hesitate to do it all over again. Thank you Lisa, for showing how a TPA student can affect the world in a big way.
