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Alumni Achievers

Published March 14, 2014

Know a Williamson County Schools graduate who has moved on to great things? CLICK HERE to send us an email and nominate an Alumni Achiever.

Michael Cottone - Fairview High Class of 2007

Michael Cottone is a student at the University of Tennessee Law School in Knoxville. He is top in his class and currently serves as Editor-in-Chief for the Tennessee Law Review publication. Michael attended Pinewood Elementary, Fairview Elementary and Fairview Middle before graduating from Fairview High in 2007.

Which WCS teacher inspired you the most and why?

While all of my teachers were fantastic, Andy Fleenor inspired me the most. Mr. Fleenor taught me geometry, AP calculus and statistics. I also had him as my homeroom teacher my sophomore year. Throughout my time in high school, he provided a great example by treating everyone - students, faculty and staff - with respect and kindness. He also made a personal investment in me and many of his other students, taking us seriously at a crucial time in our lives. I am deeply grateful to him.

What did you enjoy most about your experience at Fairview High?

In hindsight, the thing I enjoyed most about my time at Fairview High was the strong support system it provided. In my experience, the faculty, staff and administration at all the schools in Fairview would do what it took to make sure that their students had the tools necessary to succeed.

Where did you get your undergraduate degree?

I received my undergraduate degree in 2010 from Middle Tennessee State University, where I majored in philosophy.

What made you want to go to law school?

I had always thought about going to law school, even while I was in high school. As I neared the end of my time at MTSU, I decided to apply, and I was lucky enough to get accepted to several law schools. No one in my family ever practiced law, but I took a chance and have loved it.

You will graduate from law school in May. What are plans following graduation?

After I graduate, I will serve as a judicial clerk for a federal district judge in West Tennessee and then for a federal circuit court judge in Kentucky. After that, I will be working in the litigation department at a law firm in Nashville.

Jonathan Lowe - Franklin High School Class of 2000

Jonathan Lowe is an aerospace engineer with Analytical Graphics, Inc. in Exton, Pennsylvania. AGI is a small software company whose main customers are in the aerospace, defense and intelligence industries.

What does your job as an aerospace engineer with Analytical Graphics, Inc. entail?

Most of what I do is work to understand the complex missions and projects our customers are working on, recommend ways we can help, and support the customers in using our software to solve their problems. Since AGI is a small company, I also get involved from time to time in all kinds of different things, both on the business and technical side.

How long have you worked as an aerospace engineer?

For nearly 13 years in some capacity. I did a short summer internship at NASA Marshall in Huntsville the summer after I graduated from Franklin High School, and worked there as a co-op student from 2001-2004 while getting my bachelor's degree at Georgia Tech. I started at AGI after graduating college in 2005.

What did you enjoy most about your high school experience?

Franklin High gave me a great high school experience with lots of opportunities in and out of the classroom, as well as the great friendships which I still have.

How did Williamson County Schools shape your career?

Franklin High provided a very challenging academic environment for those of us aiming for college. I took almost every AP class I could and was very well prepared for the exams. This helped me to earn almost an entire semester of college credit before leaving high school, which was a real help. Also, when I got to Georgia Tech, I found the hard work required (which Tech is known for!!) was really just a step up from what I was used to at FHS. By contrast, many of my classmates who had excelled at their local high schools suddenly found themselves in a totally different league.

What WCS teacher made a difference in your life and how?

There are too many to list all of them! But Pat Tyree (calculus), Karen Mauldin (chemistry APL) and Mrs. Charmaine Briggs (German, all 4 years) stand out. All of them pushed me to make the most of my abilities, went the extra mile to help out, and were very good at explaining and teaching the material. No small part of this was making class fun and interesting, and more importantly connecting with me and my classmates as friends.

Do you have any advice for current WCS students?

My dad gave me some excellent advice: find something you love to do, and get good enough at it that someone will pay you to do it! This has worked out very well for me!

The other advice I would give is that, especially today, you should not count on having a good GPA and a diploma from a recognized institution as being enough to help you achieve your goals. Whether you're going to be working for yourself or someone else, it's really important to never stop learning and actually doing!

Finally, you can't be afraid to speak up or ask questions, even well above your peer group. I ended up with the internship and co-op job at NASA because, at my mom's suggestion, I called the main switchboard at the NASA center and asked if I could talk to an aerospace engineer about what he did, and follow him around for Senior Shadow Day.