Evan Hilder had never heard of mechatronics, but the moment he read the program description, he knew it was the perfect fit.
“The first sentence is something like, ‘Do you like working with your hands? Do you like taking things apart and knowing how they work?’” he said. “And I literally broke so many different things as a child because I took it apart and didn't know how to put it back together. ... Now I get to take it apart, but now I know how to put it back together, too.”
AACC has one of the only mechatronics programs in Maryland. Once Hilder began learning about the combination of mechanics, electronics and computer software, he knew he was in the right place. Hard work and dedication earned Hilder the role of student marshal in the 2025 commencement ceremonies.
Because of his passion for the subject, Instructional Specialist Peggy Walton encouraged him to begin tutoring other students. Tutoring strengthened his leadership skills and also deepened his understanding of the material.
“There's a different type of understanding you get when you have to do it yourself versus when you have to explain it to somebody else, and that really kind of helped me to understand the stuff even more than I already was,” he said.
Walton’s support continued outside the classroom. She connected him with a job that began just a week after he completed his final class.
“She definitely knows which students should go where because I haven't heard of anybody so far that she's given a job recommendation to that they haven't liked,” Hilder said.
Today, Hilder works at Loccioni’s U.S. branch as a project manager. He upgrades robotics systems that compound chemotherapy treatments and has already made a measurable impact.
This fulfilling career started with a program description that felt like it was written just for him.
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