Grad Profile: Ben Dickerson, E’25

Ben Dickerson’s path to architectural engineering was anything but linear. Raised in Oswego, Kansas, Dickerson grew up learning the value of hard work from an early age. With a graduating class of roughly 20 students, his next steps after high school were uncertain.

“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life,” he said. “So, I worked at a paper mill for a while. Sold cars for a while.”

In 2018, Dickerson decided to enroll in some mechanical engineering courses at a community college, but when the COVID-19 pandemic forced all learning online, he realized it was not the right fit.

After withdrawing from courses, he focused on developing his skills in drafting and 3D modeling, which led him to discover a new interest in engineering.

“I eventually found the architectural engineering program because it was a nice bridge between the design side and the math and other fun stuff,” Dickerson said. “I really enjoyed the whole process.”

KU’s architectural engineering program stood out to Dickerson initially for its uniqueness and proximity to home.

“Architectural engineering isn’t offered at a lot of competing schools,” he said. “KU is also still somewhat close to my hometown, so it’s only a three-hour drive back to see my family.”

During his time on campus, Dickerson credits several faculty members for helping guide him and supporting his professional growth. Among those faculty members are Caroline Bennet, Rémy Lequesne and Will Collins, the structural engineering faculty within the department.

“They’re my Mount Rushmore professors,” he said. “They’re so influential and helped me understand which paths I could take and answer my questions about the FE exam and my career.”

Connections like those extended not only to the faculty, but also to his fellow classmates. Like all other architectural engineering students, Dickerson spent many nights in the studio working on tight deadlines and multiple coffees. Now, he’s able to look back fondly on those memories and the relationships he formed with other students.

“I remember a lot of late nights with other freshmen trying not to lose our minds as we’re making the little Exacto knife cuts and gluing together pieces of foam,” he said with a laugh. “Those small moments of trying to take a breath in between the chaos were just really fun.”

As a first-generation, non-traditional student, Dickerson balanced coursework with full-time work and raising two children. Sleep was often scarce.

“It’s mostly either taking care of sick babies or finishing projects,” he said with a laugh.

Despite the challenges, he remained focused, completing his degree while gaining industry experience. Now freshly graduated, he’s looking toward a new future as a structural engineer with Kiewit in Lenexa, where he’ll begin work in the new year.

“For the first two years, a lot of the calculations are done by hand,” he said. “A lot of people are scared by that because they want to use handy tools. It’ll be hard work, but it’ll be fun.”

His passion for engineering traces back even to childhood.

“I remember being eight years old and playing with Legos,” he said. “Now, I really enjoy having the ability to build beautiful structures and see how the fruits of your labor pay off in such a physical way.”

Looking ahead, Dickerson’s goals are less focused on titles and more on long-term fulfillment.

“I want to be able to have a successful career I can look back on and be proud of,” he said. “Your perspective really changes once you have kids.”

With that perspective, Dickerson offers several key pieces of advice for any student deciding on engineering.

“Just keep showing up every day, no matter if you feel like you know what you’re doing or not,” he said. “It’s important to make connections with your professors, but also to have an inner circle of people you can go to with questions. You might be crazy overwhelmed, but just keep showing up and don’t quit.”

And for parents considering taking the plunge into higher education despite the full-time job of parenthood, Dickerson understands the struggle.

“It’s really hard,” he admits. “But you learn to appreciate the small wins in your day-to-day. Just understand that everyone is human and that a lot of professors understand that too.”