2026 Meet OCC Grad: Donald Fenton

Retired automotive engineer shifts gears to launch a second career

After nearly 50 years in the automotive industry, Don, 68 retired from his role as a senior engineer at Ford Motor Company ready for a new challenge. Through OCC’s Paralegal program, he found a way to combine his engineering background with an interest in law.

“I enjoyed what I did for a living,” he said. “With this new certificate, I’m able to combine my engineering expertise with my legal interests and bridge the two disciplines as a consultant.” 

Though the fields may seem separate, Don had several legal touchpoints during his career as a powertrain systems engineer. 

“With products, there are always legal aspects—intellectual property and patents, competition and international markets,” he said. “I’ve always found those interactions very interesting.” 

Shifting focus brings new perspective, and some “aha” moments

“Engineering and law use related skillsets, but the approaches are different,” Don said. “Engineers focus on solving problems, while lawyers focus on building arguments. In law, they say ‘it depends’ and things are not always as cut and dried as they are in engineering.” 

He was also surprised by the demands of paralegal work.

“It’s a lot of time-consuming reading, writing and thinking,” he said. “Completing this certificate was as much work as my MBA!” 

In fact, his growing interest in the field led him to publish several articles in local legal publications, including one highlighting paralegals as the backbone of legal organizations.

“What makes it fun is that I’m here because I want to be. At this stage, I’m not chasing credentials, I’m learning because I enjoy it.”

Don said the program offered the right balance of theory and practical application. 

“It’s a nice selection of courses that blend theoretical and practical. And, I appreciated the research resources and technology tools available,” he said. “With the tech we have, you can take the drudgery out and spend more time focusing on the problem at hand and enjoying the subject.” 

Don also valued the discussions he had with his professors and fellow students. 

“Especially as a senior person talking with people a lot younger than me, it really got my wheels turning,” he said. 

Building on a strong foundation

Don’s connection to OCC spans decades. Before earning his bachelor’s degree and MBA, he attended OCC in the 1980s while working in a foundry. He also taught in the classroom.

"My first OCC education was my foundation,” he said. “It’s the granite slab I built my whole life on. This certificate feels like coming full circle, and it’s a very personal milestone.” 

It’s also the latest step in a family tradition. 

“My children’s mother, myself and six of our nine children all graduated from OCC over the years,” he said. 

Today, Don is excited about what his future holds.

He is building a new hybrid career as a science and technology consultant for the automotive industry, focusing on intellectual property law, patents, products liability defense, and regulatory compliance issues. He continues submitting articles to legal publications and recently won first place in OCC’s General Education Outcome Learning Essay Contest. He also serves as a presenter and lecturer for the Edison Institute at The Henry Ford. 

His future is bright.