The Department of Engineering Science hosted its first ever Engineering Professional Day on Saturday, November 19, 2016. The event was designed to have students interact with a panel of professional engineers from industry where they spoke about their experiences in the workforce and students had a chance to ask questions and receive feedback.
Our five guest panelists were Leticia Martinez from PG & E, Manuel Vera from MUNI, Monica Harrison from Keysight, Neveia Chappell from Parker Hannifin, and Paulina Brassington. Additionally, Leticia and Manuel are members of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and Monica and Neveia are members of the Society of Women Engineers. Students were stressed on the importance of being active in a professional society, where much support and networking opportunities are offered.
Over 25 students participated in the event, with majors ranging from Electrical Engineering, Early Childhood Studies, Biology and Undeclared.
"This was a great opportunity for me to learn more about what engineers experience on a day to day basis" said engineering student McKenzie Maher.
After the panel, students participated in one of the two parallel one-hour workshops that were offered. Ms. Harrison from Keysight gave a workshop titled "Professional Networking with Social Media", where students learned the importance of online presence and tips on how to successfully connect with potential employers. Dr. Carolyn Peruta, Director of MESA at SSU, led the other workshop, Make Your Own Circuit, where students learned how to build a small flashing LED circuit.
"I really enjoyed all the workshops this weekend, engineering makes so many things possible and opens many doors", said Samantha, one of the student attendees majoring in Early Childhood Studies. "I am learning a lot of things I had no idea about, so thank you for opening our eyes to all the possibilities out there."
For any comments or questions please contact Dr. Sara Kassis.