From Setback to Launchpad: How Matt Morin ’11 Found His Mission

For Matt Morin ’11, the spark for engineering and the value of community ignited early — first in Sanford, Florida, where he grew up watching space shuttle launches, and later at the University of Central Florida, where opportunity and ambition converged to launch a meaningful career.

A first-generation college student, Morin originally set his sights on the U.S. Air Force Academy. But when health challenges altered that path, he turned to a university close to both home and heart.

“UCF was right in my backyard,” he says. “It had everything I needed — and more.”

Drawn to the hands-on nature of mechanical engineering, Morin embraced the discipline’s blend of theory, problem-solving and innovation. At UCF, he immersed himself in academics and student life, joining the engineering fraternity Theta Tau and organizing a campus-wide Rube Goldberg machine competition. His senior design team project — a solar-powered boat built from the ground up — proved pivotal.

“We found a beat-up boat on Craigslist and transformed it into something that could compete,” he says. “We didn’t win, but we finished. And the next year, served as inspiration for the next team to take it even further. That project taught me as much about leadership and persistence as it did about engineering.”

Outside the classroom, Morin pursued every opportunity to gain industry experience, securing internships at Mitsubishi Power Systems and later, Lockheed Martin. At Mitsubishi, he worked in a metallurgical lab analyzing turbine components under electron microscopes — an experience that led to a role in mechanical design and eventually helped him land a coveted spot in Lockheed’s College Work Experience Program (CWEP).

“My goal from day one was to get real-world experience,” he says. “UCF made that possible.”

After graduation, Lockheed Martin offered Morin a full-time role working on advanced defense systems. He was selected for Lockheed’s prestigious Engineering Leadership Development Program and later earned a master’s degree in engineering from Purdue University.

But after several years in Orlando, Morin felt the pull to try something new. In 2017, he moved to Chicago to join Northrop Grumman.

Today, Morin is a systems engineering manager specializing in mission modeling and simulation. He leads teams that develop next-generation technology, including infrared countermeasure systems that protect aircraft from missile threats. His work often centers on creating hyper-realistic lab simulations — virtual environments where complex defense systems can be tested safely and efficiently.

“We’re essentially building digital twins of the real world,” Morin says. “They allow us to test how a system will respond to real threats without ever having to leave the lab.”

But Morin’s impact extends beyond engineering. Shortly after arriving in Chicago, he connected with UCF alumni through football watch parties at The Pony Inn. That sense of shared pride and camaraderie quickly turned into a deeper commitment.

Today, Morin serves as chair of the UCF Chicago Knights alumni chapter, leading volunteer events, supporting student scholarships and strengthening the Knight Nation presence in the Midwest.

He is especially honored to help raise funds for Chicago-area Knights; when he was a student, not only did he receive Florida’s Bright Futures scholarship, but he was also awarded the Pegasus Gold Scholarship and the Coca-Cola Business scholarship.

“These scholarships offered me the opportunity to focus on what I needed to in order to accomplish my goal of becoming an engineer,” Morin says.  “I could focus on studying and applying for engineering internships without having to worry about financial stability.”

Morin and the entire UCF Chicago Knights community are passionate about raising funds for UCF-bound students.

“The alumni community here gave me a home away from home,” he says. “We’re building something special — something that gives back.” If you would like to join their mission, please visit our giving page and using the dropdown menu under designation, choose Chicago UCF Knights Community.

Under his leadership, the chapter has expanded its fundraising efforts to provide scholarships for Illinois students attending UCF — keeping the cycle of opportunity going strong.

Looking back, Morin credits UCF not just with launching his career but with shaping the person he is today.

“I thought I was giving up on a dream when I didn’t go to the Air Force Academy,” he says. “But UCF gave me something even better. It gave me a foundation, a network and the confidence to build the future I wanted.”

From a hands-on student in Sanford to a mission-driven engineer in Chicago, Matt Morin embodies the resilience, innovation and community spirit that define what it means to be a Knight for life.