Few Cathedral Catholic High School students actually know what careers they want to pursue after college. However, on the rare occasion they do know, their passion for a particular career often blossoms early in their lives.

CCHS alumna Sarah McDonald ’12 was one student who knew from a young age what career she wanted to pursue after graduating college.

“My passion for the [ship repair and construction] industry began long before I could even remember,” McDonald said. “It was just one of those things that you have always been drawn to without any exception.”

McDonald grew up hearing stories about the sea from her Navy father. The thrill she got from hearing these stories kindled a desire in her to pursue a career in the ship industry.

With this career goal in mind, McDonald currently attends The California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, California, majoring in mechanical engineering with a focus in energy systems. Now a senior, McDonald looks forward to graduating in April and finally pursuing a career in the ship industry after years of training.

“There really is something about these magnificent monsters that sail across our oceans that is so absolutely beautiful,” McDonald said. “At times I cannot believe I am the one who is going to be creating them.”

As she nears graduation, McDonald believes the Maritime Academy has prepared her well for her career.

“The school requires discipline, hard work, and accountability,” she said. “These are all things I knew I was capable of accomplishing, and that at the end of it all, it would be a large reason as to why I will be able to graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering.”

For many high school students, college is the next logical step in their journey toward adulthood. And for many teens, high school offers a valuable opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them.

Attending CCHS before the Maritime Academy helped develop McDonald’s character, morals and sense of responsibility.

“Attending Cathedral Catholic was the most amazing gift my parents have ever given me,” McDonald said. “Maybe it wasn’t exactly attending Cathedral that helped me find my passion in ship building, but it sure is the place that helped me shine the light on the gifts I was hiding.”

McDonald had the “typical” high school experience, playing basketball and softball and welcoming the academic challenge full-heartedly, she said. McDonald enjoyed her classes, loved her teammates and valued her teachers.

“To me, it’s the people that I was constantly surrounded with at Cathedral that formed me,” she said. “All the teachers and coaches who pushed me further than I [thought] I could go.”

McDonald shared some of the memories she treasures of a few standout teachers at CCHS. She specifically recalls telling Mr. Joe Kilroy, a current U.S. History and Asian Studies teacher, about her interest in attending the Maritime Academy.

“The second I told Mr. Kilroy [that I wanted to] attend the Maritime Academy, he was jumping for joy,” McDonald said. “He always gave me reassurance that I was more capable of all the challenges that would come with it.”

McDonald also remembers the lessons about leadership she gained from playing softball under the direction of Ms. Margaret Mauro, CCHS assistant principal and girls softball head coach.

“Ms. Mauro, what an incredible woman,” McDonald said. “She would push us until we were screaming on the ground, but was always the one to help us through.

“Mostly everything I try to embody about being a strong leader, I learned from her.”

McDonald recently learned one of her professors at the Maritime Academy, Mr. Michael Strange, is a University of San Diego High School alumnus who graduated with the class of 1979, eventually becoming an engineering professor. He even played football with then USDHS student Mr. Sean Doyle, who serves currently as football head coach and director of advancement and alumni.

Mr. Strange, chair of the engineering technology department at the Maritime Academy, teaches five different classes at the school. In his mechanical design class, he teaches students how to use gears and bolts correctly, and in his project design class, he teaches students how to complete a function.

“Sarah and her team are in my project design course for wind turbine,” Mr. Strange said. “She will be competing in the U.S. Collegiate Wind Competition in May. Out of 10 teams, her team got chosen to receive a grant and is allowed to compete.”

Having McDonald in classes both her sophomore and senior years at the Maritime Academy, Mr. Strange has had the time to experience McDonald’s positive attitude and hard work.

“Sarah has extremely good, solid engineering skills,” Mr. Strange said. “What makes her special is she is really good at communicating. She has excellent social skills, something engineers aren’t known for [usually].”

Working on a ship for eight or more hours a day for the rest of her career may sound like a challenging job, but Mr. Strange is confident Sarah meets the requirements to pursue a career in shipbuilding and repair.

“Going on a ship is a little daunting and may be difficult for a young woman [of Sarah’s age],” Mr. Strange said. “There is a huge responsibility placed on employees. The ship itself may be [worth] close to $1 billion.

“So, for eight hours each day, the employees are in charge of that ship. Pretty impressive.”

CCHS ultimately created a solid foundation for McDonald both spiritually and academically. Her pursuits in the long run will always remind her of her four years spent at CCHS, which were for her a time of learning and development.

“Cathedral let me grow,” McDonald said. “It taught me discipline, but it gave me enough room to make the small mistakes when I needed to learn a thing [or two] about life. Cathedral gave me a safe home for all those awkward high school moments and a place that I know I will always feel welcome.

“Cathedral prepares us for the big things and then we just pray that God will prepare us for the rest.”

McDonald advises that high school students who are unsure of what career path to take in the future or what to study in college should spend some time focusing on a passion and expanding their knowledge both inside and outside the classroom.

It is important to realize that it is okay to be unsure of the next step to take, McDonald said.

“Explore anything and everything,” McDonald said. “Take what you love and do your research. We all have those passions that drive us, make something out of it.”