Alexander Burkholder chose to major in computer engineering at Ohio Northern University because he’s fascinated by semiconductors and computing. His interest began, when, as a child, he gained access to technology.
“It was so interesting, and, eventually, I got into videogames, which led me to build my own computer. I wanted to understand how the different parts work, which led me to the semiconductor field.”
The Lima, Ohio, native and Allen East High School alumnus will graduate in May 2026 with a degree in computer engineering and minor in physics.
Alex says the computer engineering program’s faculty is one of its strengths.
“I’m able to learn from them some of the hardest topics, like digital logic and circuits. I’m also able to have one-on-one conversations and help from any professor.”
He cites a learning experience he had during Programming 2 as an example of the program’s effectiveness.
“The main project was to recreate the Oregon Trail game as an Android app. It was so frustrating. The software we needed to use was complex. After a lot of struggling, we figured out a way to make things work. The best part was that the professor, about two weeks later, posted YouTube guides explaining it; it felt great that we figured it out early.”
Alex is a member of the Asian American Student Union and Cap City Percussion, an off-campus group. He also plays percussion at ONU, valuing the opportunities it gives him “to work with others to create, which is distant from my normal life. I also like doing music for its own sake and not to get a grade or pass a class.”
After graduation, Alex wants to launch a career in the semiconductor industry. “I’m also open to graduate school. There is a new Intel fab being built in Columbus. I think that would be the ideal path, but I’ve also considered trying to go out west to work at the TSMC fabs in Arizona or even going overseas to Taiwan to learn from the current pinnacle of semiconductors.”