Industry-Student Forum - An Effective Means of Bridge-Building

Enhancing industry-student connectivity is an ongoing priority for IAB and students. To ensure an open channel of communication between industry and the Center, CPES Industry Advisory Board (IAB) formed a Communications Working Group in Year 2 and began to engage the CPES Student Leadership Council (SLC) in its monthly telecons. Together, they brainstorm on ways to improve connectivity and build bridges between industry and students. These brainstorming sessions led to the organization of an industry-student forum to create a dedicated venue for industry and students to interact during the Center’s annual conference. Following a mini-expo/career fair format, CPES invited industry partners to bring table-top displays to show their company products and stimulate meaningful interactions, and encouraged students to have their resumes readily available. With the participation of about 200 industry participants and students, mingling and interacting around the food table and the industry displays, interesting conversations ensued, technical or otherwise, leading to new internship and employment prospects.

CPES students (from left), Michael de Rooij (VT), Erik Olson (UW), and Liyu Yang (VT) at the Ansoft display table hosted by Ansoft Product Marketing Manager, Mark Ravenstahl (4th from left), during the Industry-Student Forum.