I have been blind since birth. My parents worked hard to ensure that I received an excellent education and opportunities to succeed. They expected me to excel and applied NFB philosophy to my education and rehabilitation training. I was also mentored by competent blind adults throughout my education and training. My rewarding career stems directly from a combination of high expectations and great mentoring; both hallmarks of NFB philosophy. I always enjoyed building things with Legos, Hot Wheels sets, and the like, and I did well in math and science. In preparing for college I decided to study civil engineering (perhaps not surprising since my father is also an engineer).
After high school and before attending college I attended one of the National Federation of the Blind’s adjustment to blindness rehabilitation training centers. My parents sought out opportunities to find mentors for me that were successful blind college students and professionals through the network of the NFB. My rehabilitation training, taught by other blind people, gave me important practical skills such as effectively reading Braille and using access technology, the opportunity to use those skills in a college setting while in training, and a strong and positive attitude to take on challenges and solve unexpected problems. I applied everything I learned when I started my engineering program at the University of California at Davis.
As I started my engineering program I was very fortunate to have received a National Federation of the Blind scholarship. The money was great, of course, but I was also given key opportunities to network with and be intensively mentored by blind professionals doing well in their chosen fields, many of whom were doing so in science, technology, engineering, and math. It was inspiring to spend time with blind mathematicians, computer scientists, a mechanical engineer, an electrical engineer, and more—and of course I learned many practical tips, too. When I started my first civil engineering internship for the California Department of Water Resources, I knew that other blind men and women had also succeeded in the field and addressed the challenges I had to work through.
After college I too became one of those blind STEM professionals, working as an engineer specializing in water resources. I earned my professional engineer’s license and now work for the US Army Corps of Engineers developing solutions to coastal erosion, river flooding, and navigation problems. The NFB philosophy emphasizing high expectations and focus on mentoring helped me every step of the way.
—Nathanael Wales