Idaho native David Searle is covering his bases when it comes to preparing for his career.
As he works toward Boise State’s online Master of Science in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning (OPWL), Searle will begin a process quality engineer internship at Micron Technology on June 1, 2026.
“I’m super excited for it,” he said. “I’ve been interested in Micron for a while now. It’s definitely something that’s going to combine and build on a lot of my interests and experiences, both from within and outside of the OPWL program. It feels nice to find something where I see myself fitting in really well.
“It’s a unique industry and a unique position. It will be pulling in some of my previous experience from when I worked at Space Dynamics Laboratory in Logan, Utah, during my undergrad. That was a bit more engineering, so it will be a nice merging of the two.”
It will also be the third internship for Searle, including a process improvement internship at Idaho National Laboratory and an internship in Boise State’s process management lab. He also worked as a teaching assistant during his time as an online student.
“Working in the process management lab made the online degree more real, plus you get direct hands-on experience outside of class,” he said. “We worked with real clients in a variety of industries. It was a different approach and a valuable experience, for sure.”
Searle decided to attend graduate school largely because he wasn’t sure which direction to take his career after earning his undergraduate degree.
“My wife, Kyrstin, was also looking to get into graduate school,” he said. “We were trying to find a place that would work for both of us, but nothing was lining up. We went to Boise about 10 months after graduation to visit a friend. We liked it so much that we decided to check out the schools in the area.”
The stars aligned for the Searles to both enroll in graduate school while starting the next chapter of their lives in Idaho.
“I’m really interested in optimization and process improvement, so the OPWL program seemed like a good fit,” he said. “My wife was able to get into the Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Northwest Nazarene University. It worked out.”
Reaching for the stars
Searle is from Shelley, Idaho, near Idaho Falls and Pocatello, where he developed a passion for STEM growing up. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in cognitive psychology from Utah State University in 2023.
“During my time in my undergrad, I bounced around a bunch between different majors,” he said.“I ended up in psychology because I was interested in human factors psychology/human factors engineering. My brother, who’s one of my role models, is also a mechanical engineer.”
Boise State’s online format impressed Searle as he researched the OPWL degree program on the university’s website.
“I liked the way Boise State had it structured from the get-go,” he said. “They did a good job of providing the necessary information online. It was helpful to me before I applied to be able to go through the information and have a good idea of what the program was, what it would entail and what it would take. Not every school has that, so it was a big help to me.”
Searle said his advisors, Jo Ann Fenner and Brigitte Cammack, have also been helpful throughout his online student experience.
“In the beginning, it’s always hard to navigate a new program,” he said. “Jo Ann was super helpful getting my feet wet. Brigitte has been very supportive as I’ve figured out the path I want to take.”
So far, Adult Learning Principles, taught by Seth-Aaron Martinez, and Needs Assessment,taught by Don Winiecki, are Searle’s two favorite courses in the online OPWL curriculum.
“Adult Learning Principles is a well put-together course,” he said. “Professor Martinez really knows his stuff when it comes to adult learning. I took some neuroscience classes during my undergrad, and we touched on some similar material in the class. It was cool to go back to some of that information and expand on it in this setting.
“Needs Assessment was difficult, but Professor Winiecki was fantastic. He has a wealth of knowledge. That’s one of those courses that pushes you as a student.
“You feel more like a practitioner when you finish, because you’ve done this giant, real project with a real client in a setting where it feels safe to maybe not have a perfect end result. You learn so much along the way.”
Ready, set, go
Searle looks forward to wrapping up the OPWL degree later this year, with the help and support of his family and friends.
“They are excited,” he said. “Last summer, my dad and my brother were working at Idaho National Laboratory when I did the internship. “It was a cool experience. They are happy it’s opening more doors for me and that my education will lead to good things down the road. Internships are key to figuring out what you want to do.”
No matter which career path Searle chooses, he knows the knowledge he is gaining at Boise State will pay off.
“In the OPWL program, we’ve learned to do rigorous analysis and make evidence-backed decisions,” he said. “We are never operating on assumptions, which is highly transferable to any workplace. There’s always going to be problem-solving and decision-making.
“There are many things that apply from OPWL, especially when it comes to dealing with change or leading change. It’s equipped me with a lot of useful tools to pull out when situations arise that require a systematic and systemic approach.”
Searle isn’t focusing on a specific role yet, but he has a good idea of the criteria he is looking for in a career.
“What’s most important to me is to find something fulfilling, exciting and challenging,” he said.“That could be at Micron; we’ll see how the internship goes. I want a role I can build into something long-term and play on my strengths.”
Now that he is closing in on graduation day, Searle believes preparing before enrolling in the online OPWL program is essential to success.
“Do your research,” he said. “The Boise State OPWL website is a great place to start. It has good information, including course descriptions, past student projects, and career outlooks. You can see what you might be interested in going into.
“There are a lot of things you can do with an OPWL degree. I’d also recommend reaching out to the advisor before you apply. I did that, and Jo Ann connected me with students to hear about their experience.
“Another thing I like about this program is even though it’s online, they give you a lot of opportunities to get involved. That’s essential — especially when you’re at a distance and meeting virtually. You can feel disconnected at times, so taking those opportunities to get involved is one of the best things you can do as an online student.”
Learn more about the Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning program
Earning an online Master of Science in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning from Boise State University can open doors to new opportunities and a brighter future — and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring if an online degree is right for you or need help transferring credits, connecting with a student success coach is the perfect first step.
Ready to learn more? Attend one of our online information sessions or contact a student success coach today.