Born and raised in Ann Arbor, Owen Sayer knew from a young age that he wanted to attend the University of Michigan. He grew up cheering for the Wolverines on Saturdays in the fall, living just a few minutes away from North Campus. And with both of his parents working in the automotive industry, he had a hunch that engineering—specifically mechanical engineering (ME) —was where he belonged.
As an undeclared freshman in the College of Engineering, Sayer considered majoring in naval architecture and marine engineering, aerospace engineering, and materials science and engineering. However, he kept coming back to ME, largely because of the variety that exists within the major.
“I was always leaning that direction,” Sayer said. “It’s so broad, and you can really do whatever you want with the degree. That was really what drew me to it.”
Throughout his undergraduate years, experiences in both academics and extracurricular activities reinforced his choice. Through coursework, extracurriculars, and professional experiences, Sayer explored the many facets of mechanical engineering, learning what he enjoyed and what he’d like to avoid along the way.
Undergraduate coursework in ME emphasizes experiential opportunities in design, manufacturing, and experimental testing, helping students develop valuable skills for their future careers. For Sayer, it was ME 350, one of the three required design courses for ME majors, that had the most impact on his trajectory in mechanical engineering.
ME 350 focuses on the basics of mechanisms and machine design. The course tasks students with working on a semester-long, model-based project in which they design, build, and test a prototype.
“I think being able to go through all of the steps of designing the physical system, actually being able to implement and tune it, and then finally being able to see it work was really a rewarding experience,” Sayer said. “It was actually part of the reason I began to lean toward a focus in controls and robotics, because it just made me so happy and I had a lot of fun with it.”
Sayer also pursued engineering-related opportunities outside of the classroom that supplemented his educational experience with leadership opportunities, team-based work, and lessons in time management.
In the spring of his sophomore year, he joined the U-M chapter of Pi Tau Sigma, an international honor society for mechanical engineers focused on professional development, departmental support, and leadership skills. He was elected president of the organization as a junior, leading the group with other student officers.
“I’ve met so many people I wouldn’t have known in mechanical engineering and made all kinds of new friends,” he said. “We really push each other to get better, grow, and learn as much as we can. I think a lot of the experiences and the good fortune I’ve had in the last year are direct results of my membership and the things that I have contributed to as a member.”
SUGS, Toyota, and beyond
Now, having completed his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at U-M, Sayer is working toward earning his master’s degree in the SUGS program and completing a co-op at Toyota.
Pursuing a graduate degree was always in Sayer’s plans; he just needed to decide on the type of degree and the school he would attend. The SUGS program, which allows U-M students to earn their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in just five years, simplified those decisions for him.
“I debated whether I wanted to do a PhD for a long time and eventually decided that wasn’t for me,” he said. “I decided that I did want to do a master’s. With the ease of being able to do it in one year, not having to move somewhere else, and the cost being so much cheaper than doing it two years later, it made sense and was the best option.”
Around the same time he was contemplating graduate school, Sayer began looking for co-op opportunities. After meeting with a recruiter at an on-campus career fair and applying online, he secured a position with Toyota for the summer of 2024. Having enjoyed his first experience with the company, he returned for the summer of 2025.
Sayer has worked in various areas at Toyota, leveraging his education in mechanical engineering at U-M. His experiences, from battery design to powertrain control and test driving cars, have shaped his interests and post-graduate plans.
“What I did last summer in my role as a co-op pushed me more toward pursuing controls and robotics as my focus for my undergrad and my upcoming master’s,” he explained. “Working in battery design was interesting and a good experience, but it wasn’t something I could see myself doing for 20-30 years.”
Sayer gravitated toward controls as he explored other focus areas within the company, building upon the interest and knowledge he gained from his undergraduate years. After completing his master’s degree in 2026, he hopes to continue pursuing controls-related work, ideally back at Toyota in a full-time role.
“I don’t know what the future holds for me exactly, but I’d love to be back here,” he said. “I think it’s a great company and a great place to be.”
Sayer’s journey through mechanical engineering at U-M has not been defined only by pursuing a set career path, but also by embracing diverse experiences that have helped him grow personally and professionally.
“The biggest thing I would say is to try new experiences and say yes to things,” he said. “There were a lot of things that were maybe a little bit out of my comfort zone as a freshman that I didn’t explore, like joining more clubs and meeting more people. Had I done it earlier in my college career, I could have learned more, sooner. I can’t express enough how important it is to put yourself out there in terms of experiences. I think that’s the biggest thing I learned, and I would have told myself earlier if I could have.”