Cheyanne Witmer
Chemical Technician at Electrosynthesis Company, Inc.
"Bulldog Manufacturing helped to build my confidence in the work environment and made me comfortable stepping outside of my comfort zone. This has certainly contributed to me making the most of my college experience, and I now have a well-rounded profile as I’m starting my career."
Arianna C. Heineman
Political Science with UB Law
"Bulldog Manufacturing helped me develop skills I use every day now, especially in communication, professionalism, project coordination, and real-world problem solving. Being part of a student-run company taught me how to manage responsibilities, meet deadlines, and collaborate effectively with both teammates and external partners. One of the most valuable parts of my experience was gaining exposure to real business operations, including understanding contracts and purchase orders. Not every high school graduate gets to say they have that kind of experience, and it gave me a strong foundation in how professional transactions and agreements actually work in practice. I also attended student leadership conferences, which helped me grow as a leader and gave me a better understanding of how to apply those skills in larger organizational settings. Those experiences directly translated into my current role as a college student and an active intern with the Town of West Seneca, where I continue to use the communication, organization, and leadership skills I developed through BMFG in a real community setting."
Sylvia Witmer
Basic Engineering at UB
"Bulldog Manufacturing introduced me to a world I did not know existed. I fell in love with working with my hands and seeing a product go from design to completion. This continues to be a motivator for me as I pursue my career. Bulldog taught me social and technical skills that I use in my daily life."
Jared Baesen
Music Composition at Houghton University
"Bulldog MFG definitely helped me become more confident when talking to others and pitching my ideas. To talk about the website, if I wanted to do anything unique or fun, whether that was to change the colors of the site, or have a custom background for the sales section on the home page, I had to collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and the Graphic Designer to achieve that. Collaborating with these departments helped me learn how to pitch ideas and how to be confident while pitching them. This is still an area that I am continuing to grow in college (and most likely beyond in the work force), but Bulldog MFG was a great first step in that direction. For example, in college for my major, I need to approach people and ask them if they are willing to perform a part in a music piece I composed for the end-of-the-semester Composition Recitals. If they said yes, I then had to be responsible in scheduling and putting on rehearsals leading up to the recital. My experience in approaching people, asking questions to my peers in Sales and Marketing, and implementing my idea helped me be more confident in this scenario in college compared to if I didn't have that experience in Bulldog MFG."
Cole Eggers
Trades Generalist & Welder at Wende Correctional Facility
"Bulldog Manufacturing helped get an early grasp of the workforce and the understanding of how it works. I developed a strong passion for welding through the program."
Taylor LaVarnway
Business Administration at UB
"Bulldog Manufacturing has given me real life experience in communicating with people and handling real-world problems. I talk about it a lot in interviews and people are interested to learn more about how I have so much experience in business operation roles at such a young age. It has opened a lot of doors for me and continues to impress recruiters. I developed a passion for creative design and managing roles within organizations through my time at Bulldog Manufacturing. This has helped me to discover my interest in Human Resources and Marketing, which I am concentrating on in my current program."
Allison Horst
Moog
"I would not be where I am without Bulldog Manufacturing. I made connections with Moog through BMFG technical career day and got hired through Moog straight out of high school. I developed a passion in CNC and manual machining. I would not have been on the career path that I’m on right now if it weren’t for Bulldog Manufacturing."
Nathaniel Bartsch
History BS and Film BFA at RIT
"During my time in BMFG, I learned how to take criticism and use it as motivation. At one point, a teacher told me pursuing history wasn’t a practical path. Instead of discouraging me, it pushed me to prove that I could succeed in something I care about. Since then, I’ve pursued a dual degree in Film Production and History and worked in museum and cultural internships. BMFG helped me build that mindset early."
Lydia Wrest
Architecture at UB
"Bulldog Manufacturing taught me how to manage my time better and how to talk more professionally. My favorite memory was making the gingerbread houses during our Christmas party."