Stellar Employee Spotlight: Dylan Jenkins

10.01.25

The most interesting paths rarely follow a straight line. Just ask Dylan Jenkins, whose journey to Stellar included several twists and turns.

Originally from Forest City, Iowa, Dylan attended the University of Iowa, majoring in history and secondary education with plans of becoming a teacher. During his time in Iowa City, he gained hands-on classroom experience and worked in retail, where he strengthened his social and customer service skills. But as graduation approached, Dylan realized teaching wasn’t quite the right fit for his future.

With an interest in IT, he returned to North Iowa and enrolled in college to pursue an associate degree in Computer Information Systems. After hearing great things about Stellar, he applied for a Second Shift Paint position. “I originally applied to Stellar to have a job as I worked toward my degree. I didn’t initially know about the IT internship or that there would be an opening in the IT department. I continued updating my resume while working and eventually applied for the IT internship,” Jenkins said. 

His experience in the Paint Preparation Department helped him feel that he was a great fit for Stellar and that Stellar was a great fit for him. The company then provided him with an opportunity to shift his career direction once again to one more suited to his interests, and he spent 12 weeks this past summer as the IT Infrastructure intern.

The internship used the same systems and applications he had learned through his education, and the hands-on experience he gained took that knowledge to a much higher level. “I feel as if the three-month internship taught me more than three semesters’ worth of classes,” Jenkins said. “Stellar has a great system for learning and teaching new things, and that process has always stood out to me.”

As the summer ended, Dylan was offered a full-time IT position, and he feels confident and successful in his role. “It can be hard, especially if you’re trying to balance both work and school. Remember that there isn’t a time limit or an age where you ‘should have’ been done with school.” He finds it essential for people to find joy in their jobs, even if that means taking a different path than initially planned. 

Dylan is proof that internships can significantly impact a student’s future career, and Stellar is very excited to welcome him full-time to the IT department. One of the strategic anchors at Stellar is to empower employee-owners to be successful, productive and engaged. Dylan is an excellent example of that empowerment in action.    

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