“I put a down payment on a townhouse,” 25-year-old lifelong Sarasota resident Alec Kruk beams proudly as he describes his first home purchase in a new Lakewood Ranch development in Sarasota.
When asked why he chose to live and work in his hometown, Alec is quick to respond, “I was born at Sarasota Memorial. All of my family is here. People work their whole lives to retire in a place like this. It was an easy choice.”
Alec graduated with an International Baccalaureate diploma from Riverview High School (’17). He completed a B.S. in Computer Engineering (’21) at the University of Florida with a minor in Engineering Innovation and now works full-time as a Front-End Developer and Drone Pilot for local tech company Imerza.
Early on, Alec’s curiosity in creating sleek designs while incorporating function was recognized by his parents, who were a constant support of encouragement. When he started tinkering with iPhones in middle school, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in engineering. Alec was greatly influenced by his grandfather, a retired Pfizer mechanical engineer who fostered his ambition. He also credits his teachers with guiding him through the tough math and science courses and giving him plenty of opportunity to learn hands-on. Sarasota County Schools Career and Technical Education Specialist and Alec’s former teacher, Debbie Berman, remembers, “Alec was a hardworking student determined to succeed. He was a vital part of the Riverview High School Engineering Design and Development team, always eager to learn and willing to persevere while thinking creatively to overcome challenges. It is so wonderful to have him back in our community, living out his career goals and dreams.”
Alec is clear about why he opted to tack on an Engineering Innovation Minor to his computer engineering degree. “I knew I wanted the creative skills to innovate and experiment.” Alec interned with Sarasota-based Cavoli Engineering for three consecutive summers where he helped to build the company website and learned to pilot drones. At the time, Alec didn’t think drone proficiency was relevant for computer engineering but admits the experience at Cavoli has been integral to his responsibilities at Imerza.
The grant funds awarded through the Gulf Coast Community Foundation for his internships and tuition related to his engineering minor hold significant value for Alec, aiding him in pursuing his interests. “Some students might be tempted to take an internship that isn’t the right fit when weighing compensation. The scholarship provided me the flexibility to make a better choice.” As a computer engineer, Alec describes the full-time job opportunity at Imerza as catching him off guard. “I was
surprised because they are out of an architecture firm,” Alec explains. “Every project is very fluid, though. It’s a very visionary perspective.” Imerza President and UF alum Gary Hoyt says, “Alec is smart with a disciplined mind, immensely efficient and an excellent problem solver. He makes apparent the quality of a UF engineering graduate.”
Earlier this month, Alec made the three-hour drive to his alma mater, University of Florida, but not to attend an alumni event or game this time. He was moving his younger brother, Brian, from campus housing back to Sarasota for the summer. Brian just completed his first year at UF, majoring in Aerospace Engineering and has accepted a paid summer internship position with local wheelchair lift manufacturer, Harmar. Welcome home, gentlemen.
For information on how to partner with the UF Innovation Station for engineering interns, contact Ann Marie Chupa at amchupa@eng.ufl.edu.