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Farmer Turned Engineer
By Jill Wolocko
Born with ocular albinism, Tim Goetz can see 20/200 on the best of days. But it didn't stop him from a successful 20-year career as a farmer: a back injury did. After surgery, he was told not to lift more than 20 pounds. So in looking to a career change, Tim turned to an old high school dream: to be an engineer.
He knew it would take a lot of work, and he couldn't do it alone. He and his family contacted the Division of Services for the Blind (DSB) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Rehabilitation counselor Georgena Clayton met with Tim to assess his situation."The hard part of my job is that every case is different," Georgena said. "Depending on the need, talent and motivation…if someone is willing to help themselves, I'm willing to help them in every way I can."
Tim was skeptical about available resources, but after meeting with Georgena, he knew that everything was going to be okay. "When she said, 'we can do this,' that's when I knew it would all work out."
DSB did help it "all work out." Tim was assisted with a tuition program that enabled him to complete a pre-engineering curriculum before transferring to NC State University. Adaptive technology devices, such as a laptop required for all engineering students, were also provided. Still, a lot had changed since Tim attended school. "I made it through high school and I couldn't see the board, so I figured I'd do the same thing; it turned out more complex than I thought."
"I can see the board, and it's a major improvement for the computer...
this is 'The Tool' for school access!" — Tim Goetz, VES- AutoFocus wearer
In class, Tim had permission to sit by the podium to see the board; the first row wasn't close enough. But things still weren't easy. "The first day, the professor covered about six blackboards to solve a single problem. I was lost like a goose in a snowstorm!"
Over the years, Tim acquired many adaptive aids, including closed circuit television-computers that made print larger as well as hand-held telescopes. "They're good if you're sitting down, but it was impossible to negotiate campus."
It was through Tim's brother that he learned of another device that would ultimately help to succeed with mobility: the Ocutech VES- AutoFocus. It removed the greatest challenge for Tim: focusing.
At 2.5 ounces, the light-weight device works like an auto-focus camera. The battery-powered telescope sends out an infrared beam that bounces off the object of focus and triggers a small motor. The motor activates a computer chip that calculates the distance of the object and focuses the lens.
The AutoFocus helps Tim outside of the academic world as well, where he can enjoy the scenery of long-distance traveling and read signs he couldn't see before. Academically, it becomes a necessity.
"Years from now, I will always remember Tim Goetz... he held onto a dream from high school and pursued it, despite his vision challenges. That's determination."
— Georgena Clayton, DSB Rehabilitation Counselor
"I can see the board, and it's a major improvement for the computer, especially when I'm looking at someone else's computer that is not set up in large fonts like mine," he said. "I'm going to graduate with a 3.5 average because I can see what I'm doing. This is 'The Tool' for school access."
Clayton agrees. "Literally, for him as a student in the school of engineering, it took away his limitations. After getting the AutoFocus, Tim told student special services he didn't need them anymore….they thought he was dropping out, but he told them it was because, 'I can see now!'"
Tim once thought the glasses might cause additional attention or unwanted stares. "I thought people wouldn't know how to handle it, that they would think it was weird when they met me, but people don't even notice."
Through NC State's engineering program, Tim works every other semester in a co-op with General Electric as a manufacturer/ design engineer. He reviews drawings, checks costs and receives other hands-on experience that will prepare him for the post-graduation job world. "One time, during inventory, I had to read numbers from different pieces of equipment 6-8 shelving units away," he explained. "If I can get my nose next to it, I can see it, but in this case I couldn't. With eight hours of inventory to do, the glasses really paid off!"
The future holds endless possibilities for Tim. With the co-op at GE, he may have a job offer upon graduation, perhaps even in an international role. "Ocutech offers me the opportunity to function in a perfectly normal environment," he said.
Georgena agrees and said she wishes more people could benefit from the AutoFocus. "You go through life thinking if you can help one person, it will all be worth it. When I met Tim, he was unemployed as a result of a back injury. Now he's going to be an engineer!" she said. "Years from now, I will always remember Tim Goetz…he held onto a dream from high school and pursued it, despite his vision challenges. That's determination!"
But for now, if you walk into Tim's engineering class at NC State, you won't see him up next to the podium. Tim can see just fine from the front row.
