IE student interns with U.S. Air Force at Pentagon

In high school, Morgan Savage, industrial engineering concurrent bachelor's and master’s student, applied for both Air Force and Army ROTC scholarships. Coming from a multigenerational military family, there were no expectations that she or her siblings would serve in the military, but Savage realized she wanted to do something bigger than herself and make an impact on the world. Part of that dream was to serve others, which is also why she chose industrial engineering.

“An industrial engineer helps make things more efficient and safer,” Savage said. “Their main focus is always people.”

She was offered a full-ride scholarship from both the Army and the Air Force ROTC. When she realized that the Air Force supported a few more of the technical career fields and more of her personal goals, she chose the Air Force.

“It has been an amazing 4 1/2 years so far,” Savage said. “I’ve loved the leadership opportunities, the professional development trips across the country and most of all, the people.”

This past semester Savage was the Cadet Wing Commander for Detachment 270. She was in charge of cadet operations of K-State’s Air Force ROTC program and oversaw the training and well-being of approximately 80 cadets. Savage has also held roles as inspector general, group commander, flight commander and recruiting officer.

With her ROTC experience and her industrial engineering background, Savage was given the opportunity to work as a project intern for the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Studies and Analysis at the Pentagon in summer 2022. She and another intern investigated measures of aircraft readiness and developed more accurate ways to predict aircraft availability using time series forecasting for several different aircraft platforms.

“As a cadet at the Pentagon, I was able to get a glimpse behind the glass doors of how senior leaders make their decisions and the research and data behind them,” she said. “It was a highly informative and eventful summer. The crowning moment was when I met the four-star generals of the Air Force and the Space Force.”

Being an industrial engineering student was especially beneficial to her because she was able to see how operations research is being used to improve the lives of airmen. She found that operation research’s applications in the defense industry are endless, from evaluating climate surveys to analyzing aircraft maintenance processes.

While interning at the Pentagon, she met two K-State alumni.

“Such a small world,” Savage said. “Shout out to Maj. Kyle Boomer, a civil engineering graduate, and Maj. Natasha Peeples, an industrial engineering graduate. Our alumni are making great contributions in both the U.S. Air Force and Space Force.”

Savage will graduate in May 2023 with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and minors in business and aerospace studies. After graduation, she will commission as a force support officer in the U.S. Air Force.

“I am still waiting on my first base location but am hoping for somewhere overseas,” Savage said. “It has always been my goal to serve my country and ROTC created a way for me to get my industrial engineering degree and graduate with my dream job.

“I would like to thank the Arnold Air Society, the Air and Space Force Association, and the K-State industrial engineering department for their mentorship and support,” Savage said.