I3@USD-Fall 2025

The Accidental Engineer How Valedictorian Jack Berkowitz Found His Calling at USD T he valedictorian of the Shiley Marcos School of Engineering, Jack Berkowitz ’25 (EE), By Michelle Sztupkay

service dogs during college: Yukon, an “angelic” Golden Retriever, and Cal, a spirited black Lab. Balancing Cal’s training with a demanding EE curriculum and graduate school applications presented a significant challenge. However, Berkowitz prioritized helping others over his own academic standing, and ultimately maintained his impeccable GPA. Today, Berkowitz is pursuing a Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, specializing in computer architecture. “If I connect with a professor at Michigan who inspires me, I am open to pursuing my PhD,” he says. In his valedictory address, Berkowitz emphasized the collective nature of earning an engineering degree: “It's about helping each other.” He attributes his success at USD to “the perfect storm” of factors, concluding, “I would never have become an engineer if I didn’t come to USD.” Jack Berkowitz’s journey is a powerful testament to embracing unexpected paths. From initial doubts to becoming valedictorian, his story reminds us that with resilience, grit and a willingness to help others, anything is possible.

semester dual BS/BA engineering degree in four years, Berkowitz chose electrical engineering (EE), believing it offered the greatest impact. “I picked EE because it was the hardest one ... If I didn’t have that physics class and those roommates, I wouldn’t have landed here,” says Berkowitz, acknowledging the serendipitous turns that shaped his path. Berkowitz thrived in the rigorous EE curriculum, graduating summa cum laude. He credits his success to USD’s exceptional EE faculty, singling out Mikaya Lumori, PhD, for his impactful teaching and “genuine care for his students.” He also praised Ernie Kim, PhD, Kathleen Kramer, PhD, and Venkat Shastri, PhD, for their guidance. Beyond academics, Berkowitz maximized his USD experience through a study abroad program in Italy, intramural soccer, leadership roles in Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu and two summer internships at Northrop Grumman. Remarkably, he achieved all of this while graduating in four years. A deeply impactful aspect of his time at USD was his involvement with Canine Angels Service Dogs, a nonprofit organization that trains puppies to assist individuals with autism. Berkowitz trained two

exemplifies a remarkable blend of academic excellence, personal resilience and an unyielding commitment to service. His journey, marked by initial uncertainties, culminated in a 4.0 GPA and the honor of addressing his graduating class during the commencement ceremony on May 26, 2025. Growing up in the competitive Bay Area, Berkowitz initially doubted his aptitude for engineering. “I wasn’t at the top of my high school class and I didn’t have the highest scores in math. I didn’t think I could be an engineer — I didn’t think it was a possibility,” he reflects. At the University of San Diego, incoming students don’t declare a major immediately. His initial plan for a business degree, followed by an MBA, shifted after finding economics unchallenging and physics intellectually stimulating. This, combined with the discovery of higher MBA admission rates for STEM majors and a coincidental housing arrangement with engineering roommates, sparked his interest in engineering. Despite his advisor’s caution about the difficulty of completing the nine

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