Making waves

Throughout their collegiate journey, many students struggle to find opportunities that cultivate both their talents and vocation. For University of Dayton junior Jonathan Mack, the path to success had difficult tides, but he has now steered his future dreams into hopeful waters through an internship with Regal Boats. 

Mack’s passion for boating began with a family-owned boat detailing company and transitioned into a competitive drive with racing sailboats on Lake Erie. At just 20 years old, he obtained his U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license. Since then, he has looked for ways to integrate his love for boats into a career, which is how he found Regal. 

“Regal is a company I worked with often growing up, working in the boat business, and had always admired,” Mack said. “I was drawn to the innovative product line and outstanding culture of the company.”

Regal Boats is a family-owned, faith-centered company that manufactures and customizes boats. Mack said he was drawn to their purpose: To honor God and enrich lives. This goal goes beyond business and deals with the profound community of acceptance that they hope to showcase within their work. 

For Mack, a mechanical engineering technology major, moving across the country to Regal’s headquarters in Orlando, Florida, was daunting. But, in his first few weeks, he was able to jump right in.

At the start, Regal’s engineering team was in the final stages of building a new prototype model. All engineering resources were utilized, as the deadline for its debut was set for early February. Mack said his experience from engineering classes at UD helped him ease into the project, and he even had the opportunity to present the boat for its preliminary ocean testing. 

“I have gotten to design and create a few things that will go on all of the future production boats of a model,” Mack said. 

Leadership at Regal also had Mack complete a 10-week leadership course, helping him define what kind of leadership style fits him best.

“I learned so much practical knowledge about leadership skills and how to apply them, both at the workplace and other areas of life,” he said.

“I never expected to come out of an engineering internship learning about so much [that was] not engineering related.” 

Mack said he considers himself lucky to have found Regal, a job he feels at home in. As he looks forward to his senior year this fall, Mack is ready to set sail toward graduation and a new look at his career ambitions.

photos courtesy of Jonathan Mack