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Andrew Straw ’75 will deliver speech at 2019 commencement ceremony Andrew Krzywicki Straw ’75, the global portfolio manager for fiber optic connectivity product development for Corning Incorporated and a former Colonel in the Army Reserve, will serve as the commencement speaker at MMI’s 2019 Commencement Ceremony on May 23.
assigned to the First Cavalry Division. He later served as a general staff officer at Fort Monroe, Virginia, before leaving active duty in 1985. He continued his military service as an Army Reserve officer, was recalled to active duty at the Pentagon in 2002, and retired from the Army Reserve in 2008 with the rank of Colonel.
In his role at Corning, Straw manages a portfolio of more than 50 development projects for fiber-to-the-home, data center, and distributed antenna system products. He has worked in the fiber optic communications industry for more than 30 years in a variety of engineering and management roles, including applications and field engineering, manufacturing, and research and development.
Straw earned Master of Science degrees in Administration from Central Michigan University and in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College and holds Professional Engineer certifications from both Virginia and North Carolina. With such an accomplished career both in the military and in his various engineering roles, Straw cited the research and presentation experience that he learned while he was a student at MMI as impactful skills he carried with him throughout his life.
Straw was the salutatorian of MMI’s Class Andrew Straw of 1975 and discussed science and the future in his graduation address. He spoke about the “In junior and senior social studies, each student various problems and dilemmas that science needed to overcome as was required to research and present a topic to the class every the Earth’s population grew. Straw’s speech noted the responsibility several weeks throughout the entire year. That experience, along of science to supply food, space, energy, and the essentials necessary with mandatory annual assembly presentations to the entire student to maintain life on our planet. body, built my confidence in public speaking. It is a skill that has During his graduation ceremony, Straw was awarded the Eckley served me well ever since; as a student, a military officer, a business B. Coxe Jr. Memorial prizes for scholarship and mathematics and manager, and a community leader. was recognized for placing first in the senior division of the Luzerne As he prepares to deliver his commencement address, Straw County Mathematics Contest. hopes to encourage and inspire the members of the Class of 2019 as In light of his achievements during his time at MMI, Straw said they prepare to embark on their future. he was honored when asked to serve as the graduation speaker. “I hope above all to offer the Class of 2019 encouragement. I “I am thrilled to have been invited to give the Founder’s Address follow their achievements in the newsletter and on social media, for the 127th commencement at MMI. Throughout my adult life, I and they have much of which to be proud. But I also remember that have felt very close to the school, though distance has limited my theirs can be an uncertain, challenging, and even scary time of life. personal involvement in alumni activities. I consider it a high honor Perhaps they will find something from my own journey inspiring as to contribute to this significant event in the lives of the next cohort well. That would be icing on the cake!” of MMI alumni.” Straw, a former Drums resident, and his wife, Anita Doran, reside After graduating from MMI, Straw was awarded an Army ROTC in Hickory, North Carolina, where they are active members of St. college scholarship and studied mechanical engineering at Lehigh Luke’s United Methodist Church and avid supporters of the arts. In University. his spare time, he enjoys restoring antique automobiles. Upon graduation with a Bachelor of Science degree, he was commissioned as an engineer officer in the United States Army and
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