Earlier this term, Shilpa Gokhale (Director of Program Development) and I began a grand adventure to spread the word about the MSL program. Neither of us are recruiters by profession, but we certainly know the program well! We have traveled independently and together—from lake to shining seas—meeting with program directors and department heads, STEM advisors, and even some students. At each school, we have met wonderful people, learned more about the vast array of STEM degree offerings, and enjoyed some delicious locally-acclaimed cuisine. In the posts that follow, I’ll give you a brief summary of our travels.
Our journey began in Illinois with a visit to UIUC.
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
We met with an amazing group of individuals across a variety of departments. Thank you to the following staff for making time to meet with us:
- Elizabeth Rockman, Associate Director of the Campus Honors Program
- Timothy Bowers & Jennifer Brandyberry, Academic Advisors for MCB students
- Laura Gerhold, Chief Advisor & Coordinator for Aerospace Engineering
- Terry Cole, Assistant Director/ Academic Advisor At the Technology Entrepreneur Center
Not only did we get to meet great people, but Shilpa also got a chance to learn more about her dream career of becoming a pilot…(just kidding).
Cuisine Highlight:
- Black Dog Smoke House – Thanks to Terry Cole for the great recommendation!
The Monday following our visit to UIUC, we hopped back in the car and ventured far beyond our home state to…Indiana!
Purdue University
Contrary to popular belief of Hoosiers (of IU), the people of Purdue are great! We met with:
- Beatriz Cisneros, Undergraduate Academic Advisor for the Chemistry Program
- Patrick Brunese, Director of Academic Programs at the School of Industrial Engineering
- Duane Dunlap, Chair, Graduate Education for the Engineering Technologies
- Mary Pilotte, Director of Engineering Education Undergraduate Degree Programs
Cuisine Highlight:
- Greyhouse – This was the perfect pit-stop before our drive to IU.
Indiana University Bloomington
As an alumna of Indiana University, it was great to return to my alma mater. The campus is ever-changing and ever-improving, so it was exciting to see some new buildings, including: the School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering; the new School of Global and International Studies; and the beautiful new(ish) practice rooms for Jacobs School of Music students.
At IU, we met with:
- Kate Caldwell, Amr Sabry, & Bonnie VanDeventer at the School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering
- Jan Nickless & Pat Donahue at the IU Bloomington Career Development Center
- Elizabeth Smith, Senior Advisor for the Department of Mathematics
We plan to return this fall for the 2018 Graduate School Fair, hosted by the IU Career Development Center. If you are an IU student, and you would like to learn more about the program, please visit us there on Tuesday, September 25!
Cuisine Highlight(s):
Our journey continues! Stay tuned for more updates.
Mara Jacobucci
Sr. Program Coordinator
