Deion Sirwet

After getting out of the military, Deion Sirwet wasn’t sure what direction to take next.

“I had tried college before, but I decided to drop out and join the military because I didn’t enjoy what I was learning,” Sirwet says. “So, when I came back, I was a little hesitant and worried I’d end up leaving again and trying a trade school. Luckily, I found what I was looking for.”

Sirwet returned to Arizona and gave college another shot, this time driven by a passion for technology. From his first semester as an information technology student in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, everything clicked.

“I couldn’t imagine a more fulfilling path than engineering,” he says.

One faculty member in particular helped reinforce his confidence. Sirwet says the mentorship of Eric Bishop, an assistant teaching professor in The Polytechnic School, part of the Fulton Schools, really fostered his growth. He was inspired by how genuinely Bishop enjoyed the material and the deep expertise he brought to every lesson.

“Not only did he have the most interesting classes, but his teaching style seemed to engage students the most,” Sirwet says. “He was always approachable and reachable if I needed help, and he made sure everyone understood the material and why it mattered in the real world.” 

Sirwet’s favorite part of engineering is the full journey — imagining an idea, building it piece by piece and watching it come to life.

“Sure, failure is part of the process and great for learning, but there’s something satisfying about configuring a system or building an application, putting the pieces together, and seeing everything finally click,” Sirwet says. “That moment when it all works, and you feel so accomplished, it makes all the failures and troubleshooting worth it.”

Sirwet graduates confident in his future. After graduation, Sirwet plans to stay in Arizona, pursuing a role as a software developer or system administrator.

“Regardless of which path I choose to go down career-wise, I’d really like to work on a project that affects everyone,” Sirwet says. “Whether it’s working at a big company or starting something of my own, I’d just like to say ‘I worked on that’ about something people use every day.”

Favorites

Hobby: Golfing and gaming
TV show: The Office 
Movie: The Cat in the Hat with Mike Myers
Last book read: Learn Tagalog for Adult Beginners
Geeky possessions: My Nintendo 64 and Atari

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ fall 2025 class.

Written by Erik Wirtanen