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Christian Winingar has been a professional member of IEEE since August 2020 and was inducted into the Gamma Theta Chapter of Eta Kappa Nu in the fall of 2021. Christian began his college journey at Missouri University of Science and Technology during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of his classes and meetings were virtual, like so many of us experienced during this historical time. Christian joined the IEEE Student Club to meet and  form better relationships with his fellow students. Despite the virtual setting, he felt he was able to build a stronger sense of community through the club. 

His involvement soon morphed into a more formal role at IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu (HKN), the honor society for IEEE. HKN members value scholarship, character, and attitude. Through the shared values of scholarship, character, and attitude, HKN members are able to build a community of like-minded individuals in their college and across the world. 

Before stepping into leadership roles, Christian joined different committees within the Gamma Theta Chapter, including serving on the events planning and fundraising committees. These  positions allowed him to understand better how the chapter operated and prepared him to step up into a leadership role eventually. 

“My experience with HKN greatly defined my undergraduate experience and helped me make lifelong friendships and professional connections,” shares Christian. “I was able to grow my network and develop my soft skills outside of the classroom.”

At the beginning of 2024, after earning his bachelor’s in electrical engineering, Christian started his first professional role as a Distribution Engineer at Burns and McDonnell. He felt very fortunate to be surrounded by great coworkers and mentors who offered advice and guidance on how to handle this transition. It didn’t take long for Christian to settle into his new position and re-engage with his volunteer work.

“I became more involved in IEEE by joining the IEEE Standards Association and multiple Distribution Subcommittee Working Groups. By increasing my responsibilities, I was able to challenge myself to learn new skills and gain new experiences,” shares Christian. “I have had the opportunity to attend multiple conferences such as the IEEE PES General Meeting and IEEE-HKN Student Leadership Conference, attend standard development meetings, and develop my technical abilities and soft skills to become more confident in myself as a professional in industry.” 

Christian believes that engineers are lifelong learners. The engineering landscape is constantly changing and evolving. Professional societies, like IEEE, can offer networking opportunities, continuing education, skill development, career advancement, and the opportunity to be a part of a larger community and support system that helps you grow and change along with the engineering landscape. He particularly highlights the benefits of IEEE for students:

“IEEE has over 400,000 members and access to one of the largest library collections of electrical engineering and computer engineering resources, including conference papers, new research, and standards. It is important for colleges and professors to stress the importance and significance of IEEE to students and individuals in all phases of their academic engineering career. Once a student is a member it is important for them to denote their interests and start exploring resources related to their interests such as power systems or control systems. This will allow them to find conferences and individuals who are established in these fields and provide them with mentorship, knowledge, and community necessary to thrive.”

Christian has done just that – thrive. He already finds himself in a place to pay it forward to the next generation.

“I know,” Christian acknowledges, “that I am in the position I am today because of HKN members who came before me and wanted to help the next generation – mentors like Dr. Steve Watkins and John McDonald.”

To pay it forward, Christian is serving as the committee chair for the IEEE-HKN Alumni Committee, as well as serving on the 120^th Founders’ Day Planning Committee. And – despite being a recent graduate and a new young professional – he is a donor. When asked why he felt the need to give back early in his career,  Christian shared that he is “passionate about the continued success of IEEE” and wants to donate when he can.

Christian concludes, “Eta Kappa Nu is an amazing organization for all students. The network and relationships I have built through this group are priceless. Even now – in my early career – HKN continues to benefit me and my professional journey. If you find yourself in a position where you would like to give back, please reach out to IEEE!”

To support HKN, visit the IEEE Foundation’s  IEEE-HKN donation webpage and make an impact.