Twice deployed to Afghanistan with the U.S. Marine Corps, William Brink is discovering his future at Washtenaw Community College.
After Brink's discharge from the Marines, his wife’s job brought them from Wisconsin to Ann Arbor.
He already knew he loved working with his hands. He refers to it as “taking stuff apart to find out what’s good and bad.”
Then he discovered WCC’s Transportation Technologies program and the college’s strong industry partnerships. Brink enrolled with a clear goal to learn and use his education as a stepping stone.
Eventually, he wants to own his own business repairing heavy machinery and working in diesel mechanics. His interest was sparked at a WCC Career & Internship Fair, where Caterpillar and Komatsu were represented.
“I want this to be a building block," Brink said. "I want to be a mobile mechanic where I go to the site where heavy industrial equipment, like cranes or bulldozers or forestry equipment, is broken.”
Thanks to his WCC education and training, Brink says he is well on his way.
“The instructors take their time to make sure you understand it. … If you understand the way something works, for the most part, that will carry over,” Brink said.
Brink is also a regular at the Wadhams Veterans Center on campus, which assists veterans with their benefits, academic guidance and other support services.
“I feel like they get me," Brink said. "I’ll go to them to make sure I’m on track with my classes, and I can talk to them like I’m a Marine, not a student.”
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This story was originally published in the Fall 2025 edition of Launch Magazine. Read or download the full edition.
Tags: Fall 2025, Launch, Student Profile, Wadhams Veterans Center