By MC2 Patrick Dionne

Lt. Benjamin Rathwell is one of several new students returning to the rigor of graduate education with the 2018 Winter Quarter now underway. Rathwell is enrolled in the university’s 24-month Master of Science in Systems Engineering program.

“I am really excited for the opportunity to expand my knowledge in the realm of engineering, as well as meeting people who will become other future leaders in the Navy,” said Rathwell.

The NPS Department of Systems Engineering offers a variety of resident and distance learning degree programs providing a unique, tailored advanced education in systems engineering, all designed to increase the combat effectiveness of U.S. and allied armed forces.

“I really enjoy systems as a whole and the interconnectedness that is part of how the Navy operates,” said Rathwell. “I am excited to get a better perspective on the engineering aspect of the Navy and how it applies to wartime readiness.

“Before this, I spent four years in Sasebo, Japan aboard USS Germantown, and then following that, I was stationed in South Korea as part of the military armistice commission,” Rathwell continued. “I’ve had a lot of great experiences, but I am excited for what lies ahead.”