Students invited to explore opportunities to gain engineering experience during college career
Published: Jan 17, 2025 11:00 AM
By Dustin Duncan
Looking to gain valuable engineering experience while attending Auburn University? The Engineering Office of Career Development and Corporate Relations (CDCR) is here to help with the Passport to Your Engineering Experience, a one-stop shop for guidance on navigating a variety of ways to gain practical, engineering experience as an undergraduate student in Auburn Engineering.
The event will take place from noon to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, in the Brown-Kopel Center Grand Hall. Students are strongly encouraged to register through Handshake, especially if planning to join for the initial lunch portion of the event.
“This yearly event is an exciting opportunity to encourage and educate current engineering students on how to gain engineering experience through various high-impact practices,” said Marissa Miller, CDCR Career Coaching + Programs director. “This year, the student browse will have significant student representation, where students can share how they’ve decided to pursue each high-impact practice, what they’ve learned about themselves and the engineering discipline in participating and how they can encourage their peers to consider gaining experience.”
Miller said the goal is to educate all engineering students on the importance of gaining hands-on, practical experience as undergraduates. Additionally, the program aims to help students effectively articulate their experiences and understand how these contribute to their development as Auburn Engineering students and future professionals.
Attendees can expect to learn more about high-impact practices, which are discipline-specific opportunities that often involve completing projects or working collaboratively in non-classroom settings. They include co-ops, internships, undergraduate research, student organizations and study abroad programs.
Miller said that research shows that students who engage in high-impact practices are more likely to secure jobs after graduation and earn higher salaries.
This year, the event includes a kickoff by Dean Hendrix, associate dean for undergraduate studies and program assessment, to emphasize the importance of high-impact practices. Next, Natalie Palmquist, ’19 civil and environmental engineering, will share how her experiences in co-ops and Engineering Without Borders shaped her career. A student panel will also discuss their experiences with these programs to ease anxiety and provide relatable insights.
The event will be organized into four areas throughout the Grand Hall. Students will engage with peers in a browse format who are currently involved in these programs, gaining firsthand insights into how they got started and their experiences. Faculty members will also be available to answer logistical questions, such as earning academic credit or navigating application processes for the study abroad opportunities specifically.
The event is designed primarily for first- and second-year students but is open to all students. It offers a casual introduction to available resources, with lunch provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Each student will receive a “passport” as a guide and note-taking tool for recording contacts, questions and follow-up actions.
Media Contact: , dzd0065@auburn.edu, 334-844-2326
The Passport to Your Engineering Experience Lunch and Browse is open to all students interested in gaining engineering experience.
