Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2025 graduates.
Cecil Deveau chose to attend the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University after retiring from the U.S. Navy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a nuclear electrician’s mate, he had gained a wealth of experience working on a wide variety of electro-mechanical equipment, ranging from toasters to power generation equipment. Earning his degree was the logical next step.
Deveau, who is graduating with his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from ASU Online, highlights his work experience as setting the foundation for his academic journey.
“To some degree, engineering defines who I am,” Deveau says. “I’ve been in engineering environments for decades, starting with learning about nuclear power and then running power plants 25 years ago. Those experiences were formative, and without engineering, I would not be the person I am today.”
As an online student, he noticed a trend of study groups for classes on platforms like Discord that would dissolve at the end of the class. Knowing firsthand that life for online students can feel isolating, Deveau created his own Discord server where students could socialize, choose class schedules together and ask questions of classmates who were already familiar with the subject material. It soon blossomed into a thriving social circle for online students in engineering disciplines.
“Building and being part of a community of online students has had a direct positive impact on the lives of my classmates,” Deveau says. “Some students joined the server with less than a 3.0 GPA, and after connecting with other motivated and dedicated students, they’ve managed to pull a near 4.0 since then. That is a real thing, and it has been amazing to be a part of it.”
One of his most notable academic projects was developing a wireless communication system that alerts nurses or care staff when elderly patients who are either unable or unwilling to communicate a situation need assistance. As part of this senior design capstone project, Deveau collaborated with a team of other highly driven and motivated students to bring a vision of improved patient care and quality of life to reality.
After graduation, Deveau will continue his online studies at ASU in the electrical engineering Accelerated Master’s degree program while working for Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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