Miles: Hi there, I’m Miles Compani, a student at Clarkson University.
Owen: And I’m Owen Compani, also a student at Clarkson University.
Miles: In case the shared last name hasn’t given it away yet, the two of us are brothers – surprise! We hail from a small town called Perth, NY (about three-and-a-half hours south of Potsdam), and with only four years between us, we’re among the newest ranks of Golden Knights.
Owen: That’s right – after finishing up our time at Broadalbin-Perth High School, we each found our way to Clarkson. But that’s about where the similarities end, since our individual experiences in the North Country (academics, extracurricular activities, and everything in between) have been nothing short of unique.
Miles: I couldn’t agree more! My time at Clarkson began in August 2020 as an Engineering & Management student, with a (then) planned graduation date of Spring 2024. Nearly six years later, I’m finally reaching the point where I’m about to say goodbye – with two extra degrees, a Master’s Degree in Engineering Management and a PhD in Engineering Science, to show for it.
Owen: I started studying in Potsdam about a year-and-a-half ago, at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year. As a sophomore in the Civil Engineering program, it’s a bit early for me to be completing graduate-level coursework – but thanks to my undergraduate concentration in Construction Engineering Management (CEM), I’ve got my eye on the CEM Master’s Degree.
Miles: I’ve taken a few CEM graduate courses over the past year, and they’ve been among my favorite academic experiences at Clarkson. But what else are we up to beyond classes? Since you’re the spring chicken here, I’ll let you go first.
Owen: [laughs]Always a great complement to receive – I think it’s probably easier to explain what on campus I’m not involved in! I joined as many clubs as I could during my freshman year, with the most notable being Clarkson’s student-run emergency medical services squad, CUEMS. One might not necessarily equate Civil Engineering studies with healthcare-related activities, but my time with the squad has provided me with extremely impactful learning experiences while treating real injuries faced by members of the Clarkson community.
Miles: And you recently made a major accomplishment related to that, right?
Owen: Yes! I passed the NYS Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) exam in January of this year (after completing Clarkson’s EMT program last fall), allowing me to register with the state Department of Health as an EMT. That means I can legally provide out-of-hospital medical care to injured citizens – I plan to join local EMS squads in the North Country and back home in the Capital Region as soon as I can.
Miles: That’s amazing. Have you gained any other extracurricular skills while here at Clarkson?
Owen: Last spring, I completed my PADI Open Water Diver certification, the first level of recreational scuba diving training, through our Diving Club here on campus. I spent about three hours each week for a month studying all of the relevant terms and practicing in the Indoor Recreation Center’s pool, before completing a two-part scuba exhibition outdoors in the St. Lawrence River.
Miles: I drove you there that day – I remember the look of that freezing-cold water all too well.
Owen: Call me crazy, but I’m thinking about doing it again! The next level certification, that is – and only if I find the time over the next few months.
Miles: Beyond everything we’ve discussed so far, you also have two on-campus jobs. What are those like?
Owen: I’ve worked at Cheel Arena since my freshman year, starting as an usher during NCAA Division 1 hockey games, and later becoming a member of the Net Crew. If you ever notice someone sliding on the ice and maintaining the goals in between periods, chances are that’s me.
Miles: Mom and Dad subscribed to ESPN+ just so they could watch your appearances at home, you know.
Owen: Glad to say I made it on TV! When not working at Cheel or studying for my many courses, I’m also an Event Logistics Specialist for the Office of the President, where I do anything and everything from helping set up for annual events like Convocation and Commencement, to revamping the way Clarkson houses visiting Research Experience for Undergraduate Students during the summer.
Miles: That’s awesome. Before I turn the mic around, is there anything else about your time at Clarkson that you’d like to share?
Owen: Just one more thing – after attending the Career Fairs held each semester on campus, I was able to secure a project management-oriented internship with Bast Hatfield, a commercial construction company based out of Clifton Park, NY. I spent last summer scheduling and budgeting private and public projects, securing vendor and subcontractor bids, and working hands-on alongside ironworkers while pouring concrete. Better yet, I’ll be heading back to the firm later this year for round two.
Miles: That sounds like it was an amazing experience. What questions do you have for me?
Owen: Let’s start with the basics – tell me about the clubs you’ve been involved in over the years.
Miles: While it isn’t exactly a club, I was heavily involved in the Honors Program early in my time here, ultimately spending two years as the Co-Chair of its student government. That was a great experience for me, as it gave me a chance to learn and grow as a leader fairly quickly in my academic career. I used what I gained from that role while serving as the President of a short-lived club called the Clarkson Innovation Network, as well as in a variety of group projects for courses and other organizations on-campus. More recently, I’ve spent a lot of time with the Clarkson University Orchestra, as well as the new Yoga Club and Debate Club, all of which revolve around passions of mine.
Owen: Anything else notable that you’ve been involved in?
Miles: In 2024, I joined Clarkson Combat Robotics, a club that has since become our latest SPEED Team on campus. That’s one aspect of student life that I had never actually taken part in before, and being able to link previous robotics experiences from before Clarkson to the action happening with this new group was really exciting. Mind you, most of the little time I spend with the team has been focused on gaining monetary and material support from sponsors, but I’d like to say I’ve contributed at least a little bit. Receiving funds from companies like Stewart’s Shops, Price Chopper, and Beech-Nut have certainly helped!
Owen: These days, most people know you through Clarkson Ignite. What’s that about?
Miles: I hear that question all too often – I’m the Executive Fellow of Clarkson Ignite, our innovation hub here at Clarkson. We oversee a variety of innovation- and entrepreneurship-oriented activities for members of the Clarkson community to partake in, with our most notable component being the Dorf Makerspace and Makers’ Loft, two state-of-the-art facilities for hands-on creation and digital design. We also host annual events known as the Ignite Project Expo and RAPS, and I’ve played a role in organizing pretty much everything we do at some point in the almost four years I’ve been with Ignite.
Owen: What about today?
Miles: These days, I mainly spend my time leading CUSTOM Lab, a student-run business that produces “Maker-Made” items for internal departments and organizations on-campus. Think engraved water bottles, unique 3D-printed trophies, hand-crafted paddle signs for ushers at Cheel, and so on. I get to work with a fantastic team of undergraduate and graduate students who all have amazing ideas for products and new ways we can engage with customers, and overseeing CUSTOM has really brought my time at Clarkson full-circle for me. One of my very first Engineering & Management classes here revolved around how to launch and grow a business with a unique value proposition – I’m finally doing that now, right before I go.
Owen: You mentioned earlier that you were pursuing a PhD. What does that entail?
Miles: A lot of long nights and weekends. [laughs] In all seriousness, pursuing an Industrial Engineering-oriented PhD in Engineering Science was the natural next step after completing my undergraduate degree and orienting my early graduate studies around the Capital Region Campus’ MSEM courses.
Owen: Capital Region Campus? What’s that?
Miles: Clarkson’s Capital Region Campus (often just called CRC) is the name associated with several interdisciplinary graduate-level programs targeting students of all ages and backgrounds. They used to be based out of an actual campus in Schenectady (formed following a merger with an old institution called Union Graduate College), and they’re all now entirely online, allowing learners to come from literally anywhere in the world. Some of my peers during my CRC courses were right out of college like me, while others were mid-career with established families and livelihoods. Learning alongside them was both amazing and a beacon for my potential futures.
Owen: Is it fair to say that you’ve done a lot academically over the past six years?
Miles: I think so. It’s funny – when first applying to Clarkson all those years ago, I would constantly see video advertisements for Potsdam- and CRC-based programs on YouTube. Mom would always say, “Maybe one day you’ll be the face of Clarkson.” And now here we both are, writing a Clarkson blog post for prospective students to read.
Owen: Things really have come full-circle. But back to you – PhDs involve a lot of academic research. What do you study?
Miles: My PhD dissertation revolves around designing mathematical programming-based optimization techniques for making party-table assignments within idealized upscale restaurant environments – it’s a niche topic, I know. [laughs]
Owen: Does that mean you’re visiting restaurants and telling people where to sit?
Miles: Not quite – I’m developing mathematical models that suggest how dining parties can be optimally seated by considering factors that could influence the resulting level of guest satisfaction, such as seating locations, table characteristics, and social distancing considerations. The models are hypothetical and idealistic, and I hope they eventually can be used in restaurant-specific applications by other researchers.
Owen: Is this something you’ve been doing all on your own?
Miles: I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by amazing mentors during my time here at Clarkson, including my two doctoral advisors – Golshan Madraki (a former Associate Professor at Clarkson who’s now directing the Supply Chain Management program at another institution while retaining a courtesy appointment here) and Associate Professor John Milne, both of whom have been amazing. Under their guidance, I’ve structured my PhD dissertation as three distinct academic publications, the first of which was just published online earlier this year.
Owen: Can I read it?
Miles: Well, it’s an 85-page-long literature review concerning seating assignment methods and models across the application domains of transportation, dining, entertainment, and classrooms, so if that suits your fancy, go for it. [laughs]
Owen: [laughs] Maybe another time then. You said earlier that this was your last year at Clarkson. What’s next for you?
Miles: That’s another question I hear all too often – my time in Potsdam will reach its end in May. Come June, I’ll start working full-time at energy equipment manufacturer GE Vernova in Schenectady as a Lead Contract Management Specialist, after having interned there each summer between 2022 and 2025. I’ve been able to meet so many amazing people there over the years, both Golden Knights and non-Golden Knights alike, and I can’t wait to start the next chapter of my life with them. I’ll also finish the final remaining requirements for my dissertation remotely, with plans to graduate with my PhD later this year in December.
Owen: And that’s that?
Miles: And that’s that, for real this time. [laughs]
Owen: It’s probably about time. Like I said earlier, I’ll still be here at Clarkson for another couple of years, but I can’t wait to enter the workforce myself. I’m sure that will arrive before I know it.
Miles: I have no doubt about that. You know, it’s probably easy for friends to slowly grow apart over time, especially those who only got to be around each other for a few years during college, but I think we’ll be able to avoid that. There’s being friends, and then there’s being brothers. I’m glad to say we’re both, and our shared time at Clarkson has made that relationship even more meaningful.
Owen: I couldn’t agree more. Can we call this a “brothership”? Does that sound cheesy?
Miles: I think that does the job.
Owen: A Clarkson brothership it is, then. Sounds about right.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Miles Compani ‘23 M’25 PhD’26
A longtime Golden Knight, Miles Compani (‘23 M’25 PhD’26) is celebrated for his remarkable talent for driving meaningful change and cultivating impactful opportunities for all.
