The Engineering Experience

This academic year at Purdue University is definitely different. We have all made a lot of sacrifices this semester to ensure our safety as well as the safety of those around us. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t have a fun time and make the most out of our time on campus. Our wonderful campus still has a lot to offer. So, if you are approved to be on campus this semester or plan to join us in the future, here are some fun, socially-distant activities that you can partake in on campus! 1. Movie nights at Ross-Ade stadium  We have some amazing organizations on campus that host incredibly fun events year round at Purdue that all students are welcome to attend to de-stress and meet new people. Namely, the Purdue Student Union Board organizes events like open mic nights, movie nights, murder mystery dinners and more. Fortunately, they have not allowed COVID-19 to stop them from organizing some of those great events. Currently, they have been having weekly movie nights at Ross-Ade stadium w

LT Emily utilizing Career Fair Plus for video chats with company reps at virtual IR. Industrial Roundtable (IR), which takes place at the beginning of the Fall semester every year, traditionally brings in hundreds of leading companies to campus to recruit Purdue Engineering students for full-time jobs, internships, and co-ops. Students spend the two days of the fair navigating Memorial Mall to talk to as many companies as they can, oftentimes getting caught up in crowds/lines. This year, however, due to the pandemic, IR looked a little different. The student-led career fair took place completely virtually, allowing students to sign-up in advance for a time slot to talk with a representative at their desired company.  Companies held virtual seminars prior to the career fair to allow interested students to learn more about the company. Many also offered virtual interviews after the 10-minute window of conversation during the career fair. As a student interested in going into industry aft

          As an engineering student, there are a variety of paths you can choose each summer to further enhance your educational experience. These include taking a class or two, performing undergraduate research, studying abroad, or getting industry experience through an internship or co-op. Purdue provides many opportunities for undergraduate students to get involved in all of these areas. With internships specifically, Purdue holds multiple engineering-specific career fairs each year, as well as supports students by providing opportunities through the Center for Career Opportunities (CCO).           For my internship this summer, I attended Industrial Roundtable in the Fall of 2019. While there I spoke with many companies about their opportunities for rising seniors. I was able to secure a few interviews and ultimately received an offer to intern with RB down in Evansville, IN. Despite putting a damper on many internship opportunities, I was still able to be on-site for the whole 12

Summers are a prime time for many college students to gain work experience, study abroad, or take a few classes. When the pandemic interfered with my plans to study abroad and participate in a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), I had to learn how to be productive from home and adapt to whatever obstacles got in my way. Kat on campus after returning from working at home. I started looking for REUs to participate in during the fall semester. In the past, Purdue’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering hosted guest lecturers weekly to give talks. One speaker’s research topic caught my attention in particular. After attending his talk, I reached out to him about opportunities for the summer. After applying to a few REU programs through University of Pennsylvania that he recommended, I accepted an offer to participate in a 10-week program. As it became more apparent that I would not be able to travel to University of Pennsylvania for the summer, I became increasingly nervous as