Engineering Education Ph.D. Students: Where Are They Now and What Was the Job Search Process Like?

As an Engineering student I have been an intern for multiple companies. When I interned at Case Western Reserve University I helped collect research data for a study the school of nursing was conducting. Part of my role as a research assistant was to document the research process with interactive adobe software. Later, the school published the interactive article I created. At Rockwell Automation I helped program and design updates to air handler units for General Mills. I gained hands on experience while working directly with the customer through the design and installation processes. Last summer I interned at General Electric Healthcare within the MRI coils division. My internship role gave me extensive experience with designing mechanical components and testing fixtures for MRI Coil assemblies. Then, I completed numerous verification and validation tests for the components to make sure they complied with strict medical classification standards. I am currently an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for the First Year Engineering Series. My role entails helping the students understand the material by answering their questions, grading their papers, and tutoring them on difficult subjects. I greatly enjoy teaching the students because they are extremely fascinated with engineering and love to learn. Being a top engineering student is a key component to my goals which will carry into my career. I would like to pursue a Masters in Engineering and work at a prestigious Engineering company once I graduate where I can apply my knowledge of business entrepreneurship to the field of engineering. I also hope to work for a university as an engineering professor and counselor after gaining experience in industry so I can use my education and experience to help new engineering students on their path to graduation. Receiving a scholarship would enable me to spend more time focusing on my academics, community service, and student organizations without the burden of how to pay for my education. The schooling that I would gain from receiving a scholarship will greatly enhance my future and set me up for success.