As a child, Lyles graduate and mechanical engineer Leslie Van Peteghem learned from her parents that every experience in life is an opportunity to learn and grow.

“They made me believe that I could do anything I set my mind to if I was willing to put the work in to achieve it and they gave me the opportunities and tools to do so," she said.

While at Fresno State, she participated in an internship with Edwards Air Force Base and Pelco through the Valley Industry Partnership (VIP) for Cooperative Education Program – a partnership between companies and the Lyles College to provide internship opportunities for qualified students of junior or senior level standing.

Upon graduation from Fresno State’s Lyles College in 2007, Van Peteghem went straight to work with Edwards as an Armament Engineer for the F-16 Fighter program.

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