Engineering graduate rises above adversity to shape healthcare technology
Engineering graduate rises above adversity to shape healthcare technology
Publish Date: 2026-06-25 09:17:00
Source Domain: www.kennesaw.edu
KENNESAW, Ga. |
Jun 25, 2026
Tahir Upshaw
In May 2019, Tahir Upshaw walked across the stage at Kennesaw State University’s Commencement to earn his degree in mechanical engineering, a culminating moment after years of personal sacrifices and perseverance.
Despite early setbacks in his academic career, Upshaw relished in earning his degree,
in part, because of the community he built at Kennesaw State and through the mentorship
of faculty in the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SPCEET). He has turned that experience into a fruitful career as an integration
engineer and tech lead at Emory Healthcare, where he has contributed to innovative
healthcare technology projects.
“My journey didn’t go the way I planned it,” Upshaw said. “But Kennesaw State taught
me how to adapt, how to persevere, and how to keep moving forward when things don’t
go according to plan.”
Upshaw’s path to Kennesaw State was not the one he originally envisioned. After graduating
high school, he applied to the former Southern Polytechnic State University and planned
to study computer engineering, later transferring to the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Just before SPSU consolidated with Kennesaw State, he decided to switch his major
from computer engineering to mechanical engineering and return to KSU’s Marietta Campus.
Throughout his time at Kennesaw State, Upshaw balanced a demanding engineering curriculum
while working…
