Pranav Sathya Prasad's arrived in the United States in 2015 as an international student from Mysore, India. A double-alumni of Wichita State University, he earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering. He graduated in May 2019.

Adjusting to a new environment as an international student can be challenging, but Wichita State’s welcoming community made the transition smooth. From the very beginning, he felt at home, thanks to mentors who guided him in balancing academics with practical experience. He credits the Shocker Career Accelerator, as a crucial resource in learning how to apply for relevant jobs.

Pranav's applied learning experience started at the Shocker Career Accelerator as a Peer Advisor his sophomore year. This role was incredibly rewarding as it allowed him to network with a diverse group of people and build valuable connections. Pranav says, “I learned how to develop my resume and conduct mock interviews. To this day, I use the interviewing skills I developed at Shocker Career Accelerator, both when seeking new roles and when I interview candidates.“

In his junior year, Pranav secured an internship as an Engineering Intern at LS Industries while pursuing his bachelor’s degree. This early exposure to real-world engineering helped his resume stand out. Pursuing higher education further refined his skills, with courses like Design of Machinery and Statistics helping him apply engineering principles effectively in a practical setting. Pranav explains, “WSU's applied learning propelled my career in terms of gaining relevant work experience at a very early stage. This helped me develop my technical and leadership skills from the get go.”

Pranav's internship at LS Industries eventually turned into a full-time position. As an intern, he managed a demanding schedule, balancing full-time work during summer and winter breaks with his academic responsibilities. This experience eventually allowed him to take on more projects and further develop his skills, ultimately leading to a full-time position as a Mechanical Design Engineer at LS Industries.

While pursuing his master’s degree, Pranav opted to pursue research experience, combining his experience from LS Industries with his coursework for his thesis. This led to his first publication, "Nozzle design and finite element/dynamic analysis for reverse pulse-jet system of vertical dust collectors using ABS-PC material," which was completed under the guidance of Dr. Rajeev Nair and published in a peer-reviewed journal. Pranav commented, "This particular experience/publication helped me gain technical writing experience. Something that I continue to use to this day.”

After earning his master’s degree in 2019, Pranav accepted a position as a New Product Introduction Engineer at Jabil in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he worked for two years. At Jabil, he gained experience in product development, lifecycle management, and large-scale manufacturing—skills that prepared him for his future roles.

With more than three years of technical engineering experience under his belt, Pranav successfully transitioned to Apple, where he continues to work today! Pranav found the Apple job posting on LinkedIn and applied directly on Apple’s website. Pranav points out a great tip when preparing for interviews saying, “I did reach out to recruiters directly through LinkedIn. I did receive a couple of interviewing tips from the recruiters. That really helped with my interview preparation.”

Pranav started as an Engineering Program Specialist for the iPhone in April 2022 and in June of 2024 he transitioned into Engineering Program Manager for the Mac System Team. Pranav explains his current role, “I oversee the entire developmental phase of any new Mac product. I lead the team through multiple Engineering Builds like Proto, EVT, DVT and PVT. Once the final product is ready, then I handoff the program to the Operations Team for mass production. I get to work with various engineering teams like Product Design, Electrical Engineering, Reliability and Validation Engineering, and various module teams as well.” 

Reflecting on his journey from Wichita State to Apple, Pranav realizes that curiosity and willingness to learn new subjects have been crucial to his success. “Being curious about new subject matter helped me develop new skills and sharpen my existing skills. This also ensured that I didn’t limit myself in familiar fields and pushed me to go above and beyond to explore new avenues.”

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Wichita State's applied learning program gives students hands-on, paid experience with industry partners, helping them build careers before graduation.

For more information, contact the Shocker Career Accelerator at (316) 978-3688, SCA@wichita.edu, or visit wichita.edu/Career. You can also stop by in person at the Marcus Welcome Center, Suite 139, on the Wichita State campus.