Annual Alumni Career Night a Success

Last week, engineering students flocked to the University Club to attend and be a part of the 3rd annual Engineering Alumni Career Night -- a tradition that keeps going strong in The Henry Samueli School of Engineering. The event gave students the opportunity to talk with UCI alumni from all backgrounds about what the road ahead might look like for engineers in industry.

A collaboration between the UCI Career Center, UCI Alumni Association, the Samueli School and the Engineering Student Council, the career night offered students the opportunity to discuss various topics of interest to future engineers. Topics included: Making the Best of Graduate School, the Value of an MBA Degree, Career Options in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Social Aspects of Engineering/ Technology, Life Outside of College and many more.

After the event, many students shared how informative the evening was for them. One student mentioned, "It was great talking to someone who has the same interests as me. I liked talking about how important it is to communicate with other engineers in a company that come from different engineering backgrounds."

At every career night, alumni speakers are a key component. They have a natural affiliation with the school and wish to give back and help out students who may be struggling with the same questions they grappled with before graduating some years ago. One such alumnus is Alberto Acevedo, who graduated in 1980 with a master's degree in civil engineering. "I really enjoyed talking to the students last Thursday," Acevedo said. "I hope my feedback provides some value to them in their careers." And that it did. As one student put it, "The program was great. After speaking with the alumni, I felt more focused and determined to pursue the things I want to do."