Sixteen high school students. Two days. One mission: Build and race a bionic fish.

Last week, Fullerton College proudly hosted the 2025 Bionics Academy, a high-impact summer program in partnership with ICON and Vital Link. This two-day experience introduced students from local high schools to the exciting worlds of engineering, robotics, and design thinking—all while giving them a hands-on taste of college life and career discovery.

The event featured interactive sessions, including:

• A personality assessment using the Myers-Briggs framework, helping students better understand themselves and their team dynamics
• A deep dive into bionics and bio-inspired engineering
• Design, construction, and programming of robotic fish powered by servo motors and guided by student ingenuity
• A friendly Bionic Shark Competition, where student-built fish raced across a mini pool in timed heats

In addition to the competition, students gained exposure to college-level topics like microcontroller programming, robotics assembly, and career pathways in engineering and manufacturing. They also toured Fullerton College’s campus, including the CyberLab and Library, and heard from an industry speaker about real-world opportunities in high-tech fields.

“Programs like the Bionics Academy are more than just summer fun—they’re launching pads for future engineers, designers, and makers,” said Professor Gary Graves, who helped facilitate and teach at the event. “These students walked away with real experience in problem solving, collaboration, and self-discovery.”

The Bionics Academy is part of a larger effort by ICON to bring over 90 students annually to three partner campuses: Fullerton College, Santa Ana College, and Santiago Canyon College. The initiative is designed to introduce high schoolers to apprenticeship pathways, community college programs like MAP2, and direct connections to local employers.

In August 1975, David Miller took a leap of faith.

After a career that spanned the U.S. Navy, Eli Lilly, and his own entrepreneurial ventures, he found himself facing an unexpected question: Would he consider teaching a business class at Fullerton College?

“I had never even considered being on the other side of the desk,” Miller recalls. “But I saw it as an opportunity — and I was willing to risk failure without any idea of the rewards that might come if I succeeded.”

That leap turned into a legacy.

This spring, the Business Division came together to celebrate Professor David Miller’s retirement after 50 years of service — a milestone few educators reach. What began with one or two night classes while working full-time eventually became a second full-time career after his professional retirement in 2006. Moving into daytime teaching gave him a new challenge, one he embraced wholeheartedly. “How quickly 30 years became 50,” he mused.

But Miller’s impact extends far beyond time. Throughout his decades at Fullerton College, he’s been a mentor, a motivator, and a model of integrity. His teachings, both in and out of the classroom, left indelible marks on thousands of students — many of whom carried his lessons into careers of their own.

In reflecting on his journey, Miller shared six guiding principles he often impressed upon his students:
1. Recognize opportunities — they’re everywhere. Don’t let fear of failure write your story.
2. Don’t equate happiness with status, money, or titles. Seeing a student succeed — like The Little Engine That Could — is its own reward.
3. Build character and trust as much as knowledge. Academic success can come and go, but character endures.
4. Seek wisdom, not just intelligence. A wise source may offer what a smart one can’t.
5. Every reward requires sacrifice — but not every sacrifice yields reward. Our reactions to rejection and failure shape our future actions.
6. Look forward more than back. Like a car’s rearview mirror, the past is useful only for reflection — the windshield ahead shows the real journey.

Professor Miller closes his reflection with gratitude:

“I’ve been blessed to witness lives change, to smile at surprise successes, and to watch students stumble, get up, and keep going. That risk I took in 1975 turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.”

As Fullerton College bids farewell to David Miller, we don’t just celebrate his retirement — we honor a legacy of courage, wisdom, and an unwavering belief in the power of opportunity.

Congratulations, Professor Miller — and thank you for shaping 50 years of Hornet success.

If you’ve been hearing all the buzz about artificial intelligence and wondering how it fits into your future career or business, you’re not alone. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce a brand-new course I’m teaching this Fall 2025 at Fullerton College:

BUS 256 F – Artificial Intelligence and Prompt Engineering for Business

Whether you’re a business major, entrepreneur, marketer, or just AI-curious, this course will show you how to actually use AI—not just talk about it. You’ll learn how to craft effective prompts that get the most out of tools like ChatGPT, DALL·E, NotebookLM, and more.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:
• What AI really is—and how it’s already shaping industries
• The art and science of prompt engineering (yes, it’s a skill!)
• How to use AI for marketing, customer service, content creation, and productivity
• How to spot bias and use AI ethically and inclusively
• How to create your own AI-driven business solution in a hands-on capstone project

🛠 Real Tools. Real Business Impact.

We’ll explore cutting-edge tools like:
• NotebookLM – your AI-powered research and learning assistant
• Playlab.AI – to build your own interactive bots
• Microsoft Copilot, Canva Magic, ChatGPT, and more

💡 No Tech Experience Required.

This course is perfect for students from all backgrounds. Whether you’re launching a startup, managing social media, working in retail, or preparing for a future in business, this course will give you a real advantage in today’s job market.

⸻

👨‍🏫 Taught by Professor Gary Graves
I’m passionate about helping students build real-world skills, and this course is built to do exactly that—with creativity, collaboration, and the right touch of future-forward thinking.

👉 Ready to add BUS 256 F to your Fall schedule?
Check out my full list of Fall 2025 classes here: https://t2m.io/qAynjNFu

Let’s build your AI skillset—one smart prompt at a time.