After spending more than 40 years in the field of electrical engineering, Carnegie Mellon alum Bob Geminder followed the advice he gives others his age, "Don't retire — rewire!" At 72, he earned his teaching credential and a master's degree, which has enabled him to teach high school students in California.
Geminder (E'57) was a young boy in Poland when he survived the Holocaust — an experience he regularly shares with youth learning about the tragedy in school. These interactions are what ultimately led him to realize teaching was his new calling.
Geminder believes students today — particularly Carnegie Mellon students — have the opportunity to be creative in whatever field they are specializing and lead our society in a new direction.
"Students must stay focused in view of all the real world problems. Learn and learn and do not falter," he said.
A graduate of what was then called Carnegie Tech, Geminder loved the fact that his electrical engineering class was only 24 students. "We were a very close-knit group. We knew each other very well, we helped each other and we worked together very well," he said.
Geminder noted that Carnegie Mellon students have a real advantage in today's struggling economy.
"Being a Carnegie Mellon graduate is a very positive criterion. People that interview Carnegie Mellon students for a job always raise their eyebrows when you tell them where you went to school."
Geminder tries to infuse a positive outlook in every situation. "The economy and life is up and down — just like a sine wave, for the engineering students," he said. "Do not be negative — move on and do the very best you can at Carnegie Mellon and things will definitely work out for the best for you."
