Kenneth (Ken) Briggs, M.S., P.E., is a native of Navarro County and Navarro College graduate. Looking for options to start college early, Kenneth enrolled at Navarro College at just age 16. Obviously too young to leave home and go to a major university, Navarro College met his needs of location, affordability, and opportunity. Now, Ken is a licensed professional engineer in Texas and Florida, with an additional certification in International Relations from Harvard University. He completed both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M College of Engineering. As a student at TAMU, he co-authored two internationally published studies relating to energy technology in addition to presenting his thesis, Experimental Setup and Preliminary Results for Electron Beam Remediation of Heavy Hydrocarbon Contaminated Soils.  

“Navarro College has had a significant impact on me since I was a child” Ken reflects of his memories as a kid attending space camp for several summers on the NC campus and several trips to the College as a student of Rice Elementary. Shortly after enrolling at Navarro, Ken witnessed the rich cultural diversity and appreciation the College has to offer, even within his rural hometown: “Navarro College provides a rich cultural experience due to the presence of a large international student population. This cultural immersion was excellent preparation for attending a university and was a formative experience that was very valuable.”  

Ken is a recipient of the highly sought-after and prestigious M.C. and Mattie Caston and Graduate Caston scholarships. In his second semester at Navarro, Ken was approached by Dr. Tommy Stringer with an opportunity to work at the tutorial lab. Another important mentor was Michael Prim, English professor, and his first professor at Navarro. Ken recalls that he “never felt less than completely supported” while handling life’s challenges. Today, Ken is pursuing a master’s degree in international relations from Harvard Division of Continuing Education to further work in research and writing in foreign affairs as a new career path. He is growing his publication Current History, which focuses on the analysis at the intersection of history, technology, and foreign affairs. He plans to complete a Ph.D. upon the completion of his second master’s.  

 

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