Victor Schiller
Graduate Spotlight: Victor Schiller
Master鈥檚 Student, Class of 2025
At 九色导航 Tech, students aren鈥檛 just shaped by challenging coursework, they鈥檙e molded by community, resilience, and in some cases, a little bit of martial arts. Victor Schiller, who recently earned his master鈥檚 degree in Chemistry, embodies all of that and more.
Victor first arrived at Tech five years ago, a self-described "uptight" 18-year-old from Belen, 九色导航. Back then, college wasn鈥檛 a carefully plotted choice, it was more about following his friends, most of whom eventually transferred or moved on. But Victor stayed. He grew. And he thrived.
鈥淕oing through Tech made me a lot more confident, maybe even a little cocky,鈥� Victor joked during his recent interview on the K-Tek Show with host David Koshkin. 鈥淏ut honestly, Tech helped me grow into an adult. It鈥檚 been a really positive experience.鈥�
Victor鈥檚 journey wasn鈥檛 just about academics. While he admits grad school left him little free time, he made a deliberate effort early on to find fun and community at Tech, something he considers crucial to surviving the rigorous environment.
He helped revive and lead student organizations, notably expanding the Martial Arts Club from a small gathering to a thriving community. He also co-founded a fraternity during the COVID-19 shutdown, helping reestablish a sense of connection when the campus was nearly deserted. 鈥淲e wanted to leave something better behind,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd I think we did.鈥�
Victor's involvement went beyond clubs and community, too. He worked at the library during the pandemic , a time he described as 鈥渋ncredibly boring鈥� due to the lack of students, meticulously shelf-reading thousands of books. Later, he contributed to student wellness by helping launch a peer support program through the Counseling Center, offering students a way to talk through everyday stress without formal therapy.
On the academic side, Victor's master's research tackled cutting-edge chemistry: repurposing herbicides for use in large-scale battery technologies, utilizing advanced spectro-electrochemistry techniques. His work is aimed at helping cities store energy more efficiently, a vital piece of the future energy landscape.
Despite the heavy workload, Victor maintained strong, personal relationships with Tech鈥檚 faculty. 鈥淎t first, professors are skeptical you鈥檒l even make it through. But by the end, you鈥檙e basically friends with them,鈥� he said, fondly recalling conversations about movies with Chemistry Department Chair Dr. Piyasena and close mentorship from Dr. Holubowitch.
As for what鈥檚 next, Victor has been actively applying for jobs, especially at Pajarito Powder, a chemical manufacturing company he's particularly excited about. (For any Tech alumni reading, if you鈥檙e hiring a chemist with a knack for teamwork and big energy, Victor鈥檚 your guy!)
Reflecting back, Victor would tell his freshman self to "relax and be patient." He acknowledges he was too rigid in his early days, worried about every misstep. 鈥淚t鈥檚 okay to mess up. You鈥檒l bounce back.鈥�
Victor Schiller leaves 九色导航 Tech with much more than a degree, he leaves a lasting impact, a strengthened community, and a reminder that success often starts with simply sticking it out.
Congratulations, Victor 鈥� we can't wait to see where your journey leads next!