Fairmont State engineering student uses his summer break to return to his original passion of rebuilding salvaged vehicles
Fairmont State Engineering student, Jonathan Kostyshak, is set to graduate in November 2020. Kostyshak, like many of his peers, has experienced the furthest from a typical senior year.
Kostyshak planned to seek career placements and an internship during the summer months, but no opportunities were present due to the current conditions. Instead of waiting, Kostyshak created an opportunity for himself. He sold his motorcycle and 2012 Ford F-150 to purchase a previously wrecked 2016 Ford F-150 to test his skills.
“From the photos of the damage the accident did not look bad and I thought it would take me a week to repair and start testing. Upon further inspection of the 2016 F-150, I determined the frame rails were bent and the subframe which mounts the engine and drive train had also shifted,” Kostyshak explained. “That night, I regrouped my thought process and made a plan.”
“The next morning, I found myself driving six hours to Lake Ontario, NY to purchase an entire frame. The following two weeks I worked outside from sunrise to sundown, with help from my father we were able to completely swap everything from one frame to another with no proper lift or tooling,” Kostyshak continued. “The drivetrain, turbo charger, steering, and suspension were also fixed. Perseverance, hard work, and my love for the field kept me going. At the end of the three weeks I was able to rebuild my dream truck and learn more than I ever thought was possible.”
In addition to his impressive mechanical engineering and rebuilding skills, Kostyshak utilized his talents to become an Engineering Graphics Teaching Assistant last spring. He served as the President of the SAE BAJA organization at Fairmont State in 2019, assisting with building the first two vehicles for the club since 2013. He also expanded his prospects by accepting an opportunity to channel his creativity as an Assistant Photographer for the University in 2017, where he remained an active photographer until April 2020.
Kostyshak graduates in November with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
and Technology. “College is whatever you make it out to be. In my case, fast paced,
challenging, and rewarding. My time at Fairmont State granted me the opportunity to
grow my knowledge and confidence. I did just that,” Kostyshak concluded.
You can view more of Kostyshak’s projects on his LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kostyshak-4554/.
