Young Alumni Series: J. Adam Kirtley `15

Adam Kirtley was a biology with a wildlife emphasis major at Charleston Southern University. Here’s a peek into the life of another young CSU alumnus.

Where do you currently work?
My current position is Engineering Integration Specialist for the Boeing Company in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I am a project integrator for Boeing. I work specifically on the E-3 AWACS aircraft supporting the United States Air Force. 

What do you do for Boeing?
I work with various aerospace engineers, financial analysts, and project managers to ensure that all projects run smoothly and that we are meeting customer needs. Aerospace projects are intricate and have to be extremely detailed for various reasons, and it is my job to make sure the engineering team stays detail oriented and that we are accomplishing all necessary tasks to better serve our customer.

Did you go to work for Boeing after graduation?
Immediately upon graduation, I was hired as an environmental scientist for a company called Terracon. Seven months later I began my Boeing career as an Environmental Health and Safety Operations Specialist. After 2 ½ years as an EHS Ops. Specialist, I took a leap and moved from Charleston to Oklahoma City to pursue the role of Engineering Integration Specialist. 

How did your CSU degree prepare you for your current job?
CSU prepared me for this career in the aerospace engineering field by providing an excellent STEM education option that fit my interests while also offering a liberal arts core, so I was not cornered into one specific niche. While at CSU I took various electives geared toward government/political science and communication despite being a biology major. The STEM education in my core classes mixed perfectly with my government/communication electives and truly prepared me to integrate/manage projects in a scientific environment such as Boeing.

Are you still involved with CSU?
My wife and I currently serve on the Board of Visitors.

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