For nearly seven years, Brian McDivitt (Electrical Engineering ’09, M.B.A. ’12) has worked at Morrison-Maierle, a multifaceted civil engineering company in Montana. Following God’s leading, Brian began as an engineering technician and now has his professional certification in multiple states.
Wires or Machines?
Before he started earning degrees and certifications, Brian knew that he wanted to pursue some avenue of engineering. He also knew what type of school he wanted to attend. “I wanted to receive an engineering education from a Christian perspective,” he said. His parents’ choice of homeschooling curriculum contributed to his choosing Pensacola Christian College. “We used Abeka Academy for homeschooling, and I enjoyed being a part of the Abeka graduation ceremony and activities on the PCC campus.”
“I wanted to receive an engineering education from a Christian perspective.”
When Brian McDivitt came to Pensacola, he still wasn’t sure whether God wanted him to study electrical or mechanical engineering. He sat down with a dean who made the decision very simple for him. “The dean asked if I liked wires or machines,” McDivitt said. “I said wires.”
Growing for Christ
Throughout his time as an undergraduate, Brian remained thankful for the strong Christian environment that PCC offered him. “I am an advocate for Christian education when training for a career,” he said. “PCC provides an environment where you can seek God’s will for your life while obtaining the education needed for a successful career.”
After graduating with his bachelor’s degree in 2009, Brian decided to get his M.B.A. He knew that engineering companies need businessmen as well as engineers and wanted to understand both sides. He learned some of the most important and practical lessons during his graduate studies. “Dr. John Cirone was very influential through the course in business ethics and our lessons on executive leadership,” Brian recalled. Dr. Cirone emphasized servant leadership, encouraging Brian to learn about and meet others’ needs rather than focusing on his own career.
Following Step by Step
After Brian McDivitt graduated with his M.B.A. in 2012, he stayed on campus to work as an Abeka writer. In 2014, God led him to Montana, where he briefly worked at a materials company. God moved Brian and his family around the “Treasure State” several times. “We’ve moved seven times since leaving staff at PCC,” he shared. Despite this, he and his wife, Liisa (Legal Office Administration ’12), have sought after opportunities for growth wherever God takes them. “Every step has been guided by prayerful consideration, and I thank God all the time for leading me to where I am.”
“Every step has been guided by prayerful consideration, and I thank God all the time for leading me to where I am.”
In 2016, God led Brian to work as an electrical engineering technician at Morrison-Maierle. The engineering firm wanted him to pursue a professional engineering license in the state of Montana. Despite the eight years that had passed since finishing his engineering degree, Brian passed the fundamentals of engineering exam on the first attempt. He took the certification exam the following year in Wyoming and, again, passed the first time. Soon after, he obtained licensure in Montana and later in Oregon.
At Morrison-Maierle, Brian builds 3D models of electrical systems for commercial buildings. After receiving a model of the building from his client, he and his coworkers lay out all the electrical equipment, fixtures, and even fire alarm systems in a virtual layout program. “I help direct our group in electrical standards to uphold consistency in our projects across the company,” he explained. Remembering the values he learned while at PCC, Brian has found that servant leadership plays a key role as he coordinates with fellow engineers from the civil, mechanical, plumbing, and structural departments. In addition to his work, he also enjoys serving as a Sunday school teacher at his local church and influencing his workplace for Christ.
As Brian McDivitt continues at Morrison-Maierle, he appreciates an education that prepared him as an engineer and a servant leader. While life’s path has not always seemed straightforward, God led him every step of the way. “I am blessed for having been a student at PCC,” McDivitt said. “I was motivated to keep God at the forefront of my life’s direction and decisions.”
Read more about how God is directing and working through PCC faculty and alumni.