By Sam Watson
ORANGEBURG, S.C. — As industries race toward smarter systems and automation, South Carolina State University is preparing engineers who can keep pace. Leading the way is Omar Shaheed III, the university’s first mechatronics engineering graduate.
The 23-year-old will walk across the stage during SC State’s Dec. 11 Fall Commencement exercises as not only the first graduate of the program, but also its first enrolled student.
“I’m very excited because it’s been a long time coming, but more so because it means a lot to Dr. (Hasanul) Basher and the program that someone finished,” Shaheed said.
Dr. Hasanul A. Basher, professor and chairman of SC State’s Department of Engineering Technology, has noted that industries increasingly seek engineering graduates with skills in both mechanical and electrical systems.
A path shaped by opportunity and patience
Shaheed, a Moncks Corner, South Carolina, native, graduated from Berkeley High School in 2020 before enrolling in SC State’s electrical engineering technology program.
When Basher approached him about switching to the new mechatronics engineering program — then still being developed — Shaheed agreed, despite never having heard of the discipline. He signed on in good faith and excelled along the way thanks to internships with SC State industry partners.
SC State’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Transportation (STEM-T) launched the degree in 2023.
Mechatronics engineers design, test and manufacture smart systems in robotics, assistive technology, human-machine interaction, manufacturing and unmanned systems.
“Seeing Omar Shaheed become the first graduate of our mechatronics engineering program is a powerful reminder of what SC State is building for the future,” SC State President Alexander Conyers said. “His success represents both personal achievement and the university’s commitment to preparing engineers who are ready to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.”
Modern mechatronics also integrates aviation, artificial intelligence, telecommunications and cybersecurity, offering broad career pathways.
“It did take a lot of patience with being the first student in the class. Some of the courses weren’t that set up yet in the system. So, it was like having to wait a couple of semesters, but all I can say is it was worth the wait,” Shaheed said.
Shaheed will start full time with Boeing South Carolina in North Charleston in January.
The facility handles final assembly and delivery of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
“I don’t really have a specific role yet because I’ll be in the rotational program for engineering. So, I’ll be doing different engineering roles every six months,” he said.
The Boeing Engineering Career Foundation Program is a two-year rotational program designed to develop early-career engineering talent through diverse, hands-on experiences.
Shaheed completed four internships while at SC State. His first was with Savannah River Nuclear Solutions as a sophomore, where he worked in process control and designed an HVAC system layout.
“Then I did three with Boeing these past three summers. I’ll be going back to Boeing in January to start full-time,” he said.
His first Boeing internship focused on Lean Six Sigma process improvements at the Charleston plant.
“There was waste in the system of like recycling tools. So I can build a system to basically get the tools back to the supplier. I got to actually see it working this summer. I actually got to see it in action. It’s working pretty well,” he said.
His second internship was in Oklahoma City on Air Force One manufacturing engineering.
“My second internship with Boeing was in Oklahoma City for Air Force One. We got to do manufacturing engineering on that,” he said. “It was very important just knowing the history of the plane and everything about it.
His final internship, also in Charleston, was in production engineering.
“There I clean up a lot of processes, but then I actually got to talk to the customers and get the different adjustments. Each 787 is a different plane…. So I got to learn a lot about that,” he said.
“All my internships have been in different areas because mechatronics is so versatile. So I’ve learned a lot,” he said.
A well-rounded SC State experience
Shaheed said SC State provided a well-rounded experience — from tutoring in the Student Success Center to volunteering at the Career Center and the I.P. Stanback Museum & Planetarium. He also earned a Professional Writing Certificate, which will help him write technical reports in his field.
SC State’s smaller class sizes and faculty support were key factors.
“I don’t necessarily have a definition of success for myself, but I think just making people proud and, I guess, giving my full potential,” he said. “I was always a smart student, people would say. So, I was making sure I get the full potential of that and making sure I didn’t waste any,” he said, noting that he learned independence at SC State.
“There’s a lot of good here with a lot of different programs. Here I got to really connect with my professors in the engineering department and other departments, too,” he said.
SC State’s growing lineup of STEM opportunities
For years, SC State has offered a degree in nuclear engineering and engineering technology programs across multiple disciplines.
Along with mechatronics engineering, SC State’s Department of Engineering recently launched degrees in industrial engineering, civil engineering and a fire protection engineering concentration within civil engineering. Beginning in January, the university will also offer majors in computer engineering, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering.
The spring semester will bring a new master’s degree in cybersecurity to complement undergraduate degrees in computer science and cybersecurity.
“As we celebrate this milestone, we’re also building on the momentum of achieving our R2 research status,” Conyers said. “STEM is central to that advancement. We are expanding programs, strengthening research infrastructure and creating hands-on opportunities that prepare our students to contribute to the nation’s innovation economy.
“The future of STEM at SC State is both ambitious and achievable, and our students will be the ones driving it,” the SC State president said.
For more information about SC State’s STEM degree opportunities, visit www.scsu.edu/stem. To apply to SC State, visit www.scsu/apply.
SC State’s Fall Commencement exercises will be conducted on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, beginning at 10 a.m. in Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memoria
