Stevens Institute of Technology: Admissions Blog

Graduates Reign at Stevens

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions congratulates the graduating Class of 2012.

Best wishes as you embrace your bright futures!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Women at Stevens: Network, network, network

In celebration of 40 years of women undergraduates at Stevens, the Stevens Alumni Association hosted an “Alumnae of Distinction’’ panel on March 21, featuring five extraordinary alumnae who hope to inspire the next generation of female students.

One recommendation for success was repeated several times during the discussion: make connections.

“Find your connection’’ was the advice of SAA Past President and Genworth senior executive Mary Doddy ’80, who welcomed more than 65 alumni, friends, students, faculty and staff members to the panel discussion on campus this month. “If you walk around, I’m sure you can find your own ‘six degrees of separation’ in this room,’’ Doddy said, referring to the idea that everyone is approximately six steps away, by way of introduction, to any other person.

The five alumnae were invited back to Stevens to offer advice to today’s talented students and share their extraordinary stories of success. They were Angie Hankins ’95, a partner with Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, a nationally recognized law firm with practice areas in capital markets, intellectual property, labor and employment; Lisa Mascolo ’82, the Chief Executive Officer of Optimos, a strategy and enterprise IT solutions firm; Tammy Rambaldi ’92, director of information security and IT compliance at Johnson & Johnson; MaryAnne Rizk ’01, M.S. ’01, a senior director, partnership and alliance, at Medidata Solutions, and a faculty member at Stevens; and Yvette Vargas, M.S. ’88, managing director, head of talent, development and diversity at UBS Wealth Management Americas.

The panelists were asked how to define success and all shared a personal story about what success is in their lives.

“I define success as the impact that my work has done, and it can take a long time to see that,’’ said Rambaldi. “Success is also seeing what my team does and gaining the satisfaction in seeing them succeed.’’

For Vargas, success is a lifelong process. “Success is a journey that recalibrates itself. If I can go to work and make one person better at what he does, then that to me is a success,’’ she said.

The panelists offered their thoughts on strategies for women to succeed.

“Network,’’ advised Mascolo. “Make that connection. Interpersonal relationships are often overlooked. Most women miss the value of connections. For instance, I don’t play golf, but I go out on the golf course. Just because I don’t play doesn’t mean I can’t talk to people and just make my presence known.’’

Vargas echoed Mascolo’s comments.

"Peer relationships are critical. Do I go out of my way to make my peers successful? We get results through working with people. It’s about networking,’’ she said.

Mascolo also shared her three philosophies of life: listen to others, learn as much as you can, and read just about anything you get your hands on. “Reading any sort of literature opens your mind to ideas that you may have never had,’’ she advised.

Hankins shared her unconventional route to success. After high school, she enlisted in the Air Force and served for four years. She entered Stevens and belonged to the fencing team, the Stevens Technical Enrichment Program (STEP), Khoda and was a resident assistant. After graduation, she began law school at the University of Virginia. She made partner at Stroock in 2008 and today, among the more than 300 lawyers at her firm, she is the only African-American partner. Her success came from knowing what she wanted and also asking her supervisors how to attain it. “You have to push and ask for what you want. I asked about making partner (at annual reviews). I asked them, ‘What should I be doing to be partner ready?’ ’’ Hankins said.

The five women had some ideas on how to get more girls interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) courses. Vargas suggested getting the parents of young girls interested in Stevens, which would allow for talk of the Institute in the home. Rambaldi thought girls as young as elementary age need to be reached to nurture a love of STEM. Hankins suggested partnering with civic groups such as the Girl Scouts to create interest.

Rizk, who is working on her Ph.D. at Stevens, discussed the benefits of her Stevens education. “A Stevens education (allowed me to) springboard to the next level. A technical degree is a good investment. It opens doors. It allows you to take your education and navigate it to the next level,’’ she said.

Lynn Insley, the director of Stevens’ Office of Career Development, served as moderator of the event.

Stevens Students Spring to Careers

Stevens' career fairs have always been winners. They feature top companies offering full-time employment and rewarding summer internships. This year's Spring Career Fair on March 7 was no exception. Nearly 100 top companies participated. 

Prepped and confident Stevens students took advantage of the opportunity to meet impressive companies like Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T, BASF, Colgate-Palmolive, ExxonMobil, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Tishman Construction, Unilever, and Wyndham Resorts. Organizations new to the Fair included TIAA-CREF and Toll Brothers.  

For more information about career development and professional placement at Stevens, visit: http://www.stevens.edu/sit/ocd/

 

 

 

 

Undergraduate Research Fosters Innovation

Research has been a core value of the Stevens Institute of Technology education since its founding. From the Scholars Program to Technogenesis to Senior Design, research serves as a critical foundation of the Stevens experience, where undergraduates are engaged in sophisticated research usually reserved for graduate students at other universities. Stevens students look forward to and thrive on hands-on, practical research and its applications, in many instances seeing their work published, reach the patent stage, and/or presented at conferences.

Each year, students participate in a Research Colloquium, where they are able to share their research and outcomes with their peers, faculty, and industry partners. Projects run the gamut, covering topics in each major discipline.

Jennifer Wehof, an environmental engineering major and cooperative education student currently in her fourth year at Stevens, is working on a project entitled “After the Storm: Beach Recovery” as part of the Civil, Environmental, and Ocean Engineering department. Through the Scholars Program, she has worked with Dr. Jon Miller in the Davidson Laboratory since her freshman year. When this research opportunity became available, Jennifer wanted to work on it, but she also knew she wanted to study abroad. Dr. Miller helped her balance both, and Jennifer was able to spend this past summer in the Netherlands while continuing her research. The project has since been submitted for inclusion in the International Conference for Coastal Engineering, which will be held in Spain this coming summer. If chosen, her advisor in Holland will present their work at the conference, where Jenny hopes to join him.

“Research is so important because it helps you be innovative and learn to form your own conclusions and ideas. Instead of relying on other people to tell me what’s next, I can research and figure it out on my own,” Jennifer explains. “Working on this project has opened my mind to other opportunities – I’m now considering a Ph.D. program. I can see myself being a professor and helping students the way my professors have helped me.” Jennifer also credits Study Abroad as a key component of her Stevens experience: “Being able to do research abroad was incredible, but being immersed in another culture while continuing my studies was invaluable.”

Thomas Tritt says he has always been interested in research because his dream is to pursue medical school after graduating from Stevens. Through the Technogenesis Summer Scholars Program, Thomas, a junior biomedical engineering student, has been involved with a project (“Development and Evaluation of a Novel, Real-Time Mobile Telesonography System in Management of Abdominal Trauma”) in conjunction with Hackensack Medical Center, working under Dr. Vikki Hazelwood and Ph.D. student Marissa Gray.

“Last summer, I was developing a protocol and collecting data for the project, but this summer I will be able to go even deeper into the project, helping Marissa publish a paper for her Ph.D.,” Thomas says. “It’s partially funded by the Department of Defense, so I will get to do research and data collection for them as well.” Thomas defines his research experience as allowing him to reach a “higher level of understanding for a particular field.” He hopes to focus on research in medical school and credits Technogenesis with helping him accomplish his goals at Stevens. He is also pursuing an Entrepreneurship minor, which he feels compliments his studies and research by helping provide fundamentals: “Entrepreneurship is the spirit of Technogenesis!” he adds. “Stevens provides an excellent educational background for students and then also affords them the real-life opportunities to do research hands-on,” Thomas asserts.

On another end of the spectrum, Stevens students are also participating in research that combines science and technology with art and music. Nick Catania, who is set to graduate in May, has a double major in physics & engineering physics and music & technology. His project – “Research and Development of an Interactive Learning Display for the Liberty Science Center” – has the potential to go live in the very near future. Nick knew he wanted to do something unique that would increase his knowledge in sound design and recording but also go a step further to really allow him a chance to conduct innovative research. With the help of his advisor David Musial, he met with the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City and the idea for creating a music video production experience for school children was immediately embraced. Though there are many layers in the development of this project, Nick is proud that he has been able to have a hand in them all. His advice to other researchers: Don’t ever be afraid to explore.

“When I first looked at this project, I was not thinking about the computer science part, but I explored and taught myself the programming language,” he explains. “I never thought I’d be where I am today when this started, but I wasn’t afraid to explore. Knowing the potential result continues to drive me.” Hoping to complete the project before graduation, Nick is excited to be able to give back to a younger generation through this music video display. Nick hopes that if it is successful at the Liberty Science Center, it will be replicated at other science centers. “If it has the impact I’m hoping, it will allow children to truly see the transfer of information between science and art. It will give them something to hold onto, and be inspired.”

Another project fusing science and art is “Building Immersive Image-Based Visualization Environments” that Caroline Amaba and Zachary Moy worked on together with advisor Brian Moriarty. Caroline will receive dual degrees in computer science and art & technology when she graduates in May 2012. The project started as a way to explore new ideas for incorporating research into art & technology. Together, they built the foundation for what they’ve nicknamed EVE – Explorable Visual Environs.

“For me, research was learning in a different way. It takes it way further than the classroom; because it is so hands-on, it helps you retain what you’re learning, and I really enjoyed that,” Caroline states. “We had to make our own goals and figure out what needed to be done. That was invaluable.”

In addition, Caroline and Zak co-authored two papers with their advisor that were accepted to two conferences. Professor Moriarty will present the paper Utilizing Explorable Visual Environments for Experiential Applications at the Conference on Systems Engineering Research in St. Louis this summer and Zak presented Implementation of Explorable Visual Environments for Cultural Heritage and Experience Applications at the International Conference & Expo on Emerging Technologies for a Smarter World in Hauppauge, NY last year.

“This project gave me so many new ideas for my art & technology final project as well. It has been an incredible resume boost and is helping to guide me to where I want to go in the future,” Caroline concludes.

The Freshman Experience at Stevens

Hello college-bound friends! We recently had the opportunity to speak with a number of freshmen about their first year here at Stevens and thought you would like to know what a few of them shared.

There are so many factors in considering which college will be a good fit for you, and we know that you are most likely juggling a lot of college information in addition to staying on top of your high school course load, extracurricular activities, and other college preparation. We hope reading what some of our freshmen have to say will give you insight and perhaps some relief in your process of exploring Stevens as an option, especially if you are wondering what it is like once you’re a student here!

Tom Cruz is a computer engineering major who was sold, he said, on Stevens early on in his college search, and especially once he visited campus. He applied through Early Decision, was accepted, and got a head start on meeting fellow freshman by enrolling in the Outdoor Adventure Pre-orientation Program offered right before freshman orientation. “I went backpacking and had the time of my life,” he said. “Hiking the Adirondack Mountains with my future classmates created a bond that will last a lifetime. Coming back to campus with a group of friends I’d made during Pre-orientation made for an easy transition to the beginning of my college career. As the semester commenced, I got involved with many clubs on campus, including the Latin American Association, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), and the Entertainment Committee. I also ran for Senator of the Student  Government Association (SGA) and was one of fourteen who won the election.” During his first semester here, Tom also got the opportunity to attend a SHPE conference in Anaheim, California, which included seminars on leadership and professionalism and a career fair at which companies were recruiting students for internships and co-op jobs. “I take pride in being a Stevens student,” he added. “My first semester in college was full of great memories that will stay with me forever, and I know there will be many more in store for me in the semesters to come.”

Carolina Pelaez is a chemical engineering major from Union City High School Academy for Enrichment and Advancement. She said her favorite thing about her first semester at Stevens has been learning how to balance schoolwork and other things that are important to her. “I managed to handle school, friends, family, and extracurricular activities,” she said. “It’s important to get a solid grip on how to handle all these aspects of the college experience. I imagine it’s only going to get more challenging each semester, and it wouldn’t be to my advantage at all if I only learned how to manage the coursework. We all need activities outside the classroom, and at Stevens, it's easy to get involved in all that the university has to offer. No matter what you're interested in, there's something for you.”  

Sean Balanon is a music and technology major who said he appreciates having been able to meet and learn more about his fellow music and technology classmates and his professors during freshman orientation. Like Tom, Sean also participated in Pre-orientation. He chose the Performing Arts option and along with 20 other freshmen got to write and rehearse a show that they performed for the school. “We took theatre workshops in which we learned about acting, dancing, and what goes on behind the scenes of a stage production, like sound, lighting and music,” he said. “We also jumped over to New York City to take a tour of Lincoln Center, the world’s leading performing arts center. Of course the experience wouldn’t be complete without seeing a Broadway show or two. We saw the revival of RENT at the New World Stages theatre, and How to Succeed in Business starring Daniel Radcliffe.” Sean added that his freshman experience has been fantastic. “As a music and technology major, I’m learning everything that I want to and need to from the courses I’m taking. The environment is great. Being situated so close to New York City is truly amazing. The Manhattan skyline is breathtaking, and there are so many things to do on and off campus. There is never a dull moment!”

Allison Outwater is majoring in both civil engineering and mechanical engineering. As you can probably guess, pursuing dual majors means she’s highly dedicated to her studies. That doesn't take her away, however, from other activities. “I’m originally from Wall Township High School in central New Jersey. Stevens is a huge change from high school for me, but it has been a very good change," she said. "I’ve joined the Society of Women Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, Engineers Without Borders, the Stevens Dramatic Society, Silkscreeners (a T-shirt making group), and the Entertainment Committee, student group that plans many of the large events on  campus. Through each of these groups, I have met a vast group of people and become close to so many different kinds of people. I chose Stevens for the amazing opportunities here and the close-knit community. I wanted the chance to be seen as more than a number.” Reflecting on her first semester, Allison said she “fell in love” with Stevens even more so once she got here. “For all the reasons I chose Stevens and because of what I’ve experienced first-hand now as a student – the coursework and resources, the student life, the great faculty – I’m very pleased.”

Like Sean said, there really is never a dull moment at Stevens. To learn more, visit www.stevens.edu or speak to an Admissions staff member at 800.STEVENS. We are always happy to assist!

Fall Spotlight on Summer Undergraduate Research

A Significant Stevens Advantage

Hundreds of students gathered at last week's Student Research Colloquium to display and discuss the research they led this summer. While a long-standing tradition at Stevens, the fall student research exhibit this year was a special highlight as the Colloquium kicked off a long weekend of exciting events celebrating the inauguration of Dr. Nariman Farvardin as the seventh president of Stevens Institute of Technology.

Among the packed crowd of students, faculty, and outside audience members attending the Colloquium, was the President himself, who expressed being inspired by the open forum. 

“I am overly excited about what I see. I am amazed that some of these students have started their research in their first summer at Stevens and are only in their second year now.  For them to do so much already is very impressive. These students are so bright, and I can see the spark in their eyes.” Dr. Farvardin added, “These are the leaders of the future.”

Access to research for Stevens undergraduates is one of the great advantages of being a student at Stevens and is an educational approach that is deeply rooted in Stevens' legacy. It's no surprise the Student Research Colloquium played an important role in the presidential inauguration this year. 

The research projects presented evolved from summer research in various disciplines, including chemical engineering, technology management, ocean engineering, music and technology, and many more. Students had access to hands-on research in collaboration with faculty mentors through two elite programs for especially high-achieving undergraduate students: the Stevens Scholars and Technogenesis Summer Research programs. 

 

Through their research activities, Stevens and Technogenesis Scholars acquire experience in advanced research, design, and business development projects and develop skills which, among many benefits, give them a leg up in the job market and/or disctinction as prospective graduate students of competitive graduate programs around the world.   

In addition to leading the inauguration weekend, the research exhibit was also distinct this year in the scope, diversity, and multidisciplinary characteristics of the students' work. "This year was a watermark in the history of our undergraduate research programs," said Shane Topping, Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Stevens. "The number of students, from across all the disciplines, as well as the broad range of projects they led are all very impressive indications of the limitless opportunities for hands-on, real-world, collaborative exploration and problem-solving here at Stevens." 

Victoria Baldwin, class of 2013, completed her project on photovoltaic efficiency through nonporous anti-reflective thin films. “As renewable energy continues to grow in significance each and every day, so does its compatible power sources, particularly in the photovoltaic field,” said Baldwin. “The question is whether photovoltaic efficiency can be significantly increased in order to make this field a more reliable and effective source of power for consumers.” Chemical engineering and materials science professor and chair Ronald Besser served as the faculty advisor for Baldwin's work.

Nicholas Catania presented his project, "Research and Development of an Interactive Learning Display for the Liberty Science Center," advised by music & technology professor David Musial.  Catania is  majoring in engineering physics and music & technology.

Robert Moakler, a double major in physics and service oriented computing, created a project based on the human psyche. His research is based on the concept that groups of users can successfully lie on the Internet using services like Twitter and Facebook. Moakler named the project “Anatomy of a Lie.” Professor Jeff Nickerson of the Howe School of Technology Management served as advisor.

Joseph Huyett and Angela LoPiccolo, both sophomore mechanical engineering majors, partnered to research vibration energy harvesting. Mechanical engineering and nanotechnology professor Frank Fisher served as advisor. The goal of their project was to autonomously tune piezoelectric beams to ambient vibrations. Magnets were utilized in order to change the stiffness and resonant frequency of the beams. During the course of the experiment, the prototype was redesigned to reduce the play in the system. A linear potentiometer was added to transmit data about the position of the beams to a microcontroller. 

“It was a great experience. There was no one babysitting us during the research, so it really taught us how to be our own boss," said Huyett. "I now know the value of time management, and, overall, I feel like we accomplished a milestone that I am truly proud of.”

 

Associate Provost of the Office for Academic Entrepreneurship at Stevens, Christos Christodoulatos, took an opportunity to praise the research programs. “I think this is a tremendous success for our students and advisors,” he said. “Students are gaining experience through their projects, which emphasize innovation and entrepreneurship and teach our students the value and impact they have on society. They are given both the soft skills and business skills needed to compete in the real world.”

 

 

Career Focus at Stevens

Stevens' Career Fair last week attracted more than 100 companies and 700 students to the eagerly awaited, and historically successful, event held in the Schaefer Center each fall for seniors. 

The fair presented an opportunity for both sides - the Class of 2012 and potential employers - to connect and standout. From the overwhelming turnout and high level of preparedness, to the outstanding career outcomes Stevens publishes each year, it's clear that Stevens students make excellent use of their time in front of some of the nation's top companies and agencies that recruit talent here. Impressive career placement figures for the Class of 2011 include an average starting salary of $63,200, which is 9% above the national average. In addition, 85% of Stevens' Class of 2011 obtained job placement within three months of graduating, and 35% entertained more than one job offer.

"I received great, positive feedback from those who participated in the Career Fair, and I am delighted that the event generated a lot of excitement from everyone involved," said Lynn Insley, Director of Career Development at Stevens. "I'm especially pleased about the wide variety of employers represented this year."

Employer representation ran the gamut across industries, expertise, and types of jobs, which provided students from every discipline ample access to career networking and placement. Amid the economic stress of today, the diversity and breadth of commercial and government representation at this year's fall Career Fair is especially encouraging.  Some companies return to Stevens after years of maintaining relationships here, and some have a more recent presence.  NBC Universal, for example, made its first appearance last year. 

A representative from LGS Bell Labs Innovations summed up what his company sees in Stevens graduates this way: "The Stevens graduates we've worked with are well-prepared and they transition very well to high-end work with little stress and time. They adapt quickly and make positive contributions to sophisticated problems and projects right away. They're also team-oriented, which is  very beneficial." 

LGS Bell Labs delivers communications and R&D-based technology solutions to the U.S. government community and is looking to Stevens for computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, and physics majors to fill various full-time roles as well as internships. The representative added, "It's nearly impossible to predict where technology will be five years from now. We all know how quickly it evolves and changes. So we're not only looking for folks with excellent knowledge and experience, but also those who like to learn and who adapt while we all 'follow the technology', so to speak." 

At a pre-fair luncheon for employers and students, Stevens presented Johnson & Johnson with its Employer of the Year Award for going "above and beyond" the typical recruitment relationship. In addition to internships, co-op placements, and full-time employment, especially distinct is the company's role in providing student workshops in leadership and networking as well as Johnson & Johnson's sponsoring of Stevens senior design projects. 

Automatic Data Processing Inc. (ADP), Barclays Capital, Becton Dickinson & Company (BD), Deloitte Services, Ernst & Young, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Hamilton Sundstrand, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Morgan Stanley, L'Oreal USA, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Pepsi Bottling Group, Risk Management Solutions Inc.,  UBS, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Verizon were a few among the many companies represented.

 

Welcome Stevens Class of 2015

First Days on Campus: Sunny with a Chance of Fun... Despite Irene!

Stevens is excited to welcome its largest group of incoming freshmen ever, as members of the Class of 2015 officially begin classes this week.  

New students had much to see and do in their first days as Ducks. Undergraduate Orientation kicked off Wednesday, August 24, and those who participated in Pre-Orientation activities arrived the previous weekend for exciting activities included in the Outdoor Adventure, City Life, Sports and Fitness, and Performing Arts experiences that Stevens offers.

Orientation included a jam-packed schedule of events - the family BBQ and information fair, President's dinner, Freshmen Summer Games, and Stevens Luau were highlights among an exciting lineup of celebrations.     

 Hurricane Irene proved a slight challenge, but, on the flip side, the storm created a unique opportunity for new students to get a more immediate sense of the welcoming and socially conscious culture at Stevens. 

In the early morning of Saturday, August 27, the day of the storm's expected arrival - and four days into Student Orientation - over two dozen freshmen and their orientation leaders chipped in to help the mayor of Hoboken, Dawn Zimmer, and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members distribute critical information about evacuation and preparedness to city residents.

"We initially expected to be making calls from City Hall, but, instead, we set out on foot. We were given fliers in English and Spanish of the precautions everyone in Hoboken was to take during the storm," said Juliet Turalski, Stevens student and Orientation Leader.  "Those living in the basement of an apartment building had a mandatory evacuation notice, and all others who chose to stay in Hoboken during the storm had to be notified about how severe the storm was going to be and what they needed to do to prepare. It was tiring, and every volunteer stayed in it - doing the job without complaint. In my eyes, that showed a lot of integrity. It was a community service not many would do in such a critical time. I know Stevens students made a difference in Hoboken that day."

Originally designed as a park, waterfront, and community center painting and cleanup event (a new community service component of Student Orientation), Saturday morning's activity was modified to provide critical assistance to the city during the crisis. "The experience showed me how Hoboken, despite being a major city, is still a close-knit community where people look out for each other," said Robert Hale, incoming civil engineering student and one of the community service volunteers. "I don't feel like an interloper. I feel like a Hoboken resident."

Robert is one of 620 incoming students selected from more than 4,000 applicants this spring. These exceptional students not only make up the largest class, they enter Stevens as the most competitive and selective class in the University's history.  They will all soon learn that collaboration and benevolence are simply part of the mix here at Stevens.  

As always, Stevens' returning students played a significant role in welcoming the incoming class with open arms, cheers, and an outpouring of guidance and support. "Everyone here has been nice, and I've felt very welcome," said Terrance White, a freshman from Scotch Plains, New Jersey. "It's so comfortable and peaceful, which is especially remarkable with New York City only steps away."

Choosing a College: What’s Important?

Hello college-bound students!  The undergraduate admissions staff at Stevens understands that the college application process is complex and demands juggling a lot of details, tasks and research.

We hope the following tips help you as you dedicate at least part of your summer to exploring your top-choice colleges.

Make sure that you don’t overlook the most important goal - choosing a college that is right for you!  Some things you might consider:

• What size college do you want to attend? Are you looking for a very large school or one with a more close-knit environment?

• What locations are you considering? Do you thrive in an urban environment, or do you prefer a quieter setting? Are there campuses that offer both? How close or far away from home do you want to be?

• What major(s) are you interested in?

• Will you need financial aid?

• Are extracurricular activities important to you, and what are they?

• What kind of campus life do you want to experience?

• What career services are offered? Are you thinking about your return on investment?

Answering these questions and ranking your needs in order of importance will allow you to investigate your top choices in a way that best matches you! Each institution is so different, and it’s easy to get lost in all the information you glean from your research.

Many online college search engines can also help you get some ideas about how to organize and better target your search. And, of course, the best way to get to know a school is to experience it up close and personally. Campus visits will certainly answer a lot of your questions, give you a “feel” for a college, and help you prioritize the aspects you’re considering. You may even discover qualities that are important to you that you hadn’t considered earlier.

We wish you the best in your search and decision-making process. If we can be of any assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us at admissions@stevens.edu or 1-800-STEVENS. We’d be delighted to help you!

Career Horizon for Graduating Seniors

Perhaps nothing feels more fulfilling to Stevens undergraduate students than commencement, a moment to celebrate that they "made it" – they, indeed, persevered to earn a degree from a premier university and are launching to the next phase of their lives.

Although their experiences and destinations are diverse, graduates of the Stevens Class of 2011 share a commonality at this important milestone in their student careers. The Stevens advantage continues to give graduates a remarkable return on investment.  An impressive 96% of last year's graduating class accepted employment opportunities of their choice, and the Class of 2011 continues to experience higher placement rates than last year at this time, a stellar record, especially, in the constrained job market they face today.

The 2011 Commencement ceremonies mark the start of promising careers in the workforce and advanced degree programs for Stevens graduates.  They have accepted offers at top companies in industry and government.   Among the long list of employers are ExxonMobil, Goldman Sachs, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, DuPont, and the Department of Defense.  What's more, those who sought medical, dental and other graduate schools will be attending programs at Columbia University, Georgetown University Medical School, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, to name a few.

While we would be delighted to highlight the accomplishments of each and every graduate, meet graduating seniors Veronica Smith, Rui Xiong, Ellyn Griggs, and Robert Bishop. Their stories represent the overall success enjoyed by this year's graduating class.

Veronica Smith
 
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Employment: Johnson & Johnson


As a Stevens co-op student, Veronica joined the 40% of Stevens students who take part in this unique academically-based program. She alternated semesters in class with full-time work experience, and that's where she was first introduced to Johnson & Johnson, the company she has chosen for full-time employment post graduation.  Graduating with a biomedical engineering degree as well as graduate certificates in project management and health care management, Veronica is on her way to an exciting career at Johnson & Johnson in the highly selective Global Operations Leadership Development (GOLD) program in which she'll serve in three, eight-month management rotations. "It's exciting, and I look forward to this new experience," Veronica said. "I'll be supervising at the Acuvue® contact lens plant.  It'll be a challenge, and that's exactly what I wanted and am prepared for."

At Stevens, Veronica also seized the opportunity to participate in tissue engineering research under Dr. Hongjun Wang and was able to take part in a neuroscience summer research program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  She was a member of Stevens' track and field team as well as a peer mentor, an upper-class undergraduate student who assists new undergraduates in their academic transition into college.

Reflecting on her transformation at Stevens, Veronica noted how independent and focused she's become.  "When I first came to Stevens, I thought I wanted to focus more on research and go to graduate school," she said.  "And I got to try that here. I changed my direction, but it was great to be able to test my original interest right away.  I wouldn't have found the path I'm on now had I not had the opportunity to explore my options before graduating. My friends who were at other universities didn't have such opportunities. Because I did, I was able to actually create a more focused plan while I was still an undergraduate student.  I highly encourage students just beginning their journey here to take full advantage of all the ways Stevens allows students to discover their passions."   

Rui Xiong
 
Major: Business and Technology
Employment: Federal Reserve Bank, New York City

Rui is launching from Stevens with both a bachelor's degree in business and technology and a master's degree in global innovation management. He also earned graduate certificates in project management and technology management. Rui is happy to have accepted a fulltime post at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York City as a bank examiner and is excited that the role will allow him rotational stints in various areas of the company (for example, liquidity, management and financial analysis) to further diversify his experience there. He was first introduced to the Federal Reserve Bank through an internship at Stevens, and for two years he also took part in their College Federal Challenge, a team academic competition for undergraduate students. Among the topics he tackled was quantitative finance.     

Rui pursued many opportunities in- and outside of class to explore his interest in economics, business, finance, and monetary policy, a curiosity he said grew from following the financial crisis events of 2007.  Ample openings for student involvement and its proximity to Manhattan were significant factors in his choice to attend Stevens.

"I liked my program, and I was fortunate to have access to a wonderful group of peers and faculty," Rui said.  "The size of Stevens is a great asset for students.  I developed close relationships with everyone, including faculty and administration. Here, you won't have a class with someone once and then never see them again. My peers at other institutions certainly weren't saying that about their experiences. And the classes at Stevens are diverse; that is very true. The global influence here is extremely beneficial.  Stevens really transformed my world view in many ways."

Ellyn Griggs
 
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Employment: L'Oreal

As a Stevens Scholar, Ellyn is graduating with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's degree in systems engineering.  In addition to summer research in nanotechnology at Stevens, her involvements outside the classroom are more than impressive. Ellyn's activities include varsity field hockey (captain) as well as a stint on the track and field team her freshman year.  She participated in two paid summer internships at L'Oreal in the company's Franklin, New Jersey manufacturing plant. Ellyn was one of only two juniors selected for the internship. She also served as a resident assistant, member of the leadership honor society Gear and Triangle, a student blogger for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, treasurer of her sorority, secretary of the Greek honor society, club field hockey coach, and a peer mentor.

In a fulltime position at L'Oreal, Ellyn will enter her new career through the company's Management Development Program, a rotational leadership program in which she'll work two or three rotations at various locations and in different job functions to then take on a managerial position within the company. Ellyn looks forward to her first placement at L'Oreal's manufacturing plant in Kentucky, where the majority of the company's hair care and hair styling products are made.

It's clear from her resume, Ellyn has lived the advice she gives to new students. "I would tell anyone entering Stevens that they can do anything here. Really, it's such a benefit to get involved," she said. "There is so much to do here, and you don't need to be intimidated by all the options.  It's all about time management.  Once you get that down, the sky's the limit!"

Robert Bishop
 
Major: Business and Technology
Employment: JPMorgan Chase

A business and technology major who minored in economics, Robert is graduating from Stevens with a fulltime position at JPMorgan Chase as an operations analyst, and he is looking forward to the challenge.  He said the main draw to his program of study at Stevens was his dream to someday work for a top company on Wall Street. Although he had some ambivalence about pursuing that passion, he's grateful Stevens allowed him the opportunity to experience it first hand to see if it was good fit.  Indeed, it was.

Not only did he get hands-on experience through an internship with the company during the summer concluding his junior year at Stevens, but Robert was also involved in a major project born from the Stevens Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development (SEED) program, which joins select students from the Stevens' Schaefer School of Engineering and Howe School of Technology Management to develop market plans centered around Stevens startup companies. The goal is to cultivate tomorrow's technology entrepreneurs through first-hand research and commercialization experience.

Like many of his peers, Robert leaves Stevens with appreciation for the diverse experiences available to students. "The opportunities available here really set Stevens apart from other schools," Robert said.  "I was a varsity student athlete, had a competitive internship, handled a rigorous course load, and teamed up with peers, professors and business leaders to advance a new tool designed by a software startup company, ID8 Systems, within a new marketplace. And as if that wasn't enough, I had the chance to do more."  At Stevens, Robert also served as a Resident Assistant and captain of the varsity wrestling team, played club men's lacrosse, was a peer mentor and Orientation Leader, and enjoyed being heavily involved in a fraternity.