Stevens Institute of Technology: Admissions Blog

Spotlight on Transfer Students

Former Cornell University student-athlete and applied economics & management major Ryan Bridge entered Stevens as a transfer student after four years of active duty in Anah, Iraq.

A high school two-time New Jersey state champion wrestler, All-American, and academic high achiever, Ryan's acceptance to Cornell was not surprising. But his decision to leave the university early to join the U.S. Marine Corps, perhaps.

Ryan said joining the Marines was something he did out of a strong desire to serve the country's efforts at the time. And it didn't take long for his choice to earn the pride and respect of his family. He committed wholeheartedly to the stressful demands of his life as a Marine, rising to squad leader in his deployment to one of the most volatile areas in the War in Iraq.

Transitioning back to life in the U.S. wasn't easy, but getting back to undergraduate studies and wrestling was something Ryan gladly pursued. Ryan said it would have been much harder without the help of the Stevens Veterans Office and the Yellow Ribbon Program, an enhancement to the GI Bill that provides tuition assistance to qualified veterans.

Drawn to its location, size and offerings, Ryan continued to excel at Stevens. In the two seasons he competed as a wrestler, he earned a 32-7 career record. He qualified twice for the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships and All-America status both years he went to the tournament. Ryan finished fifth and seventh, respectively, in his two seasons. He was also selected as an Academic All-America and was a President's List Scholar.

A Business & Technology major, Ryan said one of the highlights of his career here was being able to apply what he learned in the classroom to real-life situations, and pointed to one project in particular. Ryan was one of four students who helped the Kortney Rose Foundation (KRF), a nonprofit organization that raises awareness of pediatric brain cancer and supports disease research and prevention efforts, improve its operational functions and ensure that its series of annual fundraisers are effective.

Ryan redesigned the KRF’s business systems and helped the KRF on the financial end with the creation of reports and strategic planning. Like many Stevens students, Ryan was eager to make a real difference, in this case fighting a devastating disease. “Brain tumors affect a lot of children,” he said. “I believe the Kortney Rose Foundation is a great program and can really help.”

His road to Stevens may be considered a path less traveled. But it is one that certainly matched his commitment to education and impacting the world. Set to graduate from Stevens this month and begin graduate studies here in the Business Intelligence and Analytics program, Ryan continues to face a bright future, ready for the challenges that lie ahead, he said. There is no doubt Ryan will fully seize the opportunity.

 

Natalie Schloeder began her college career at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) as an aerospace engineering major but soon felt it wasn't a good fit, mainly because she longed to study in a location that offered a more diverse setting.

Natalie had been accepted to Stevens but had chosen to attend RPI because Stevens didn't offer an aerospace engineering degree. Everything else about Stevens was a great match, she said.

She transferred to Stevens' mechanical engineering program after her first semester at RPI, and quickly embraced the University's rich offerings. In her time at Stevens, she was a member of Stevens' concert band (alto sax) and served as Editor in Chief of The Stute (Stevens' student newspaper), captain of the women's tennis team and student athlete for the team for four years, and, with the encouragement of a classmate, a character in the Stevens production of Assassins.

She also took advantage of Stevens' proximity to top companies and employers, taking on an internship at Turner Construction Company, which is headquartered in New York City. She worked as a pre-construction intern for the concept and design of the Brooklyn Nets Arena.

What's more, Natalie didn't have to abandon aerospace engineering, a passion that ignited many years earlier in middle school. "Aerospace engineering is a concentration of mechanical engineering," she said. "And what I learned and experienced as a mechanical engineering student at Stevens propelled me right along the path I'd aimed for." Natalie is currently a graduate/doctoral student of aerospace engineering at Georgia Tech, leading research and problem-solving in the University's High Power Electric Propulsion Lab, specifically in designing ion engine thrusters for deep space missions.

The work she does in the lab requires being able to deliver viable solutions for contracted clients, which includes studying the problem and specifications, creating a design, and delivering it. "Essentially, I'm not just creating a solution, but the best answer to the problem, which works for the client and continues to attract funding for our work," she said.

Natalie gives kudos to Stevens for providing a wide breadth of extracurricular activities that enhance students' experiences and are also opportunities to learn how to multi-task. Maintaining good grades at a competitive school while enjoying activities outside the classroom requires creating a process to manage time well, and this was a key to her success, she said.

She also points to Stevens' Design Spine, a unique series of eight core design courses followed by a capstone, two-semester senior design project, as a significant advantage to students. "This design concentration throughout all my years at Stevens was extremely valuable," Natalie said. "The opportunity to create goals and timelines, think critically, solve open-ended questions, work collaboratively...it's all real-life training." She recently encountered a challenge in one of her projects and fell back on what she'd learned at Stevens to work through it, she added.

With her sights on innovating deep space exploration and on solid course to get there, Natalie has the universe at her feet. In this case, that's not just a metaphor.

Dominic Catalano began his college career at Binghamton University and then Tompkins Courtland Community College, where he earned an associates degree in engineering science before entering Stevens as a transfer student to pursue mechanical engineering.

Dominic customized his Stevens education with concentrations in automotive engineering as well as product design and manufacturing. For a number of reasons, it's no surprise that he's a member of the senior design team that took on the challenge of designing a Formula-style race car. 

The Formula SAE design competition is organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers, simulating what happens when a manufacturing company contracts design teams to develop a race car. Students prototype race cars that are judged on their potential for production for non-professional autocross racers. The teams must design, build, and test their prototypes under a certain criteria and rule-set that ensures on-track safety and promotes unique problem solving.

As part of the Formula SAE team at Stevens, Dominic was able to experience real-life work in an automotive engineering business environment, including research, design, manufacturing, testing, developing, marketing, management, and even fund raising. Cultivating alumni donations and business sponsorships is all part of the process, Dominic said. Click Here to see last year's Formula SAE car.

With several years of track and field experience both at Binghamton and Tompkins Courtland, Dominic fully embraces the competitive spirit on another level. He helped advance the Stevens track and field team as a student athlete for the last year remaining in his NCAA eligibility. And he competed in his first Iron Man at Lake Placid, New York, last year, finishing the race in just over 13 hours. Biking and running track and field for Stevens helped him train for the event, a regiment well worth juggling with a full schedule of studies and other activities, he added. "You just find time for what you're passionate about," Dominic said. "Even to the point of losing a little sleep." 

His advice to incoming students? "Stay organized. And schedule time for involvement in multiple groups." Dominic said. "But be careful not to spread yourself too thin. Choose a passion or two and then organize your time around that. This is hard when there's a lot to pursue and you have this feeling that if you're not involved, you might lose out on something. But it's important to find a balance, and over time, you do."

Moving on after graduation to graduate studies in mechanical engineering here at Stevens, Dominic is revving up for further research in combustion engines and designing efficiency for automotive applications. He looks forward to what the future holds at Stevens, but in the meantime, he's off to Nebraska with the Formula SAE team to race.

What might you experience at Stevens? The deadline for applying to Stevens as a transfer student is July 1. Click Here for more details.

 

 

Alumna Dominique Gonzalez: From Stevens to Product Engineer at Fisher-Price/Mattel

Since 2004, mechanical engineering graduate Dominique Gonzalez (B.E. `04, M.E. `10) has been a product engineer for Fisher-Price/Mattel in New York City.  True to the company’s mission of “Creating the Future of Play”, she is specifically responsible for the production of some of the most popular, innovative toys on the market.  For the average consumer, it’s hard to imagine all the work behind creating the fun children have with the latest toys, but listening to Dominique describe her role in getting the company’s products on the shelf – through the various stages of concept and design to manufacturing, packaging and distribution – cultivates a keen sense of appreciation for her job as well as the education she received at Stevens.

As product engineer, Dominique is charged with considering, first, if the toy design is manufacture-able, and if so, ensuring that it is developed through the production cycle, including debugging and safety inspections, ultimately making sure the product meets expectations in every way.  As highly sophisticated and complex as it is, Dominique describes her job as a fun place to be.  Considering some of her favorite products – Handy Manny Toolbox, Elmo Live, and the Sesame Street Cars– that’s not surprising. “In a job like mine, it’s actually ‘ok’ to watch cartoons and get excited about toys,” she said.  “It’s fulfilling to see my products in the stores, to see parents buy them.  Really, I get to make things that make kids happy!”

Dominique’s success at work and in life, she says, is linked to several factors.  Recalling her days as a student at Verona High School in New Jersey, Dominique pointed to her mother’s high expectations and how that ultimately led to her applying and getting accepted to Stevens. “I was always pushed to do well in school,” she said.  “A’s were expected, and if I was struggling with getting those, I was encouraged to find help and support. There were no exceptions.”  Her uncle being a mechanical engineer was also an influence. “A few things he told me about the field that inspired me: one, that mechanical engineers are versatile and two, engineers, generally, are taught to be good at problem-solving,” Dominique said. “At Stevens, that all held to be true. I learned to handle people and projects, how to organize them into an efficient whole.  Product engineer for Fisher-Price/Mattel, which was first a temporary position, was my first job in the field. I adapted to a complex process of product design and project management very quickly. I did a great job, and they kept me on as a regular full time product engineer. That really is a testament to my Stevens education and the support I received through the Career Development Office.”

Dominique is equally appreciative of the solidarity she had at Stevens, which she gained through several activities: varsity women’s volleyball, the Black Student Union (BSU), Latin American Association (LAA), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the Stevens Technical Enrichment Program (STEP), and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE).  “At Stevens, everyone is willing to help,” she said. “It’s challenging, for sure, but very supportive.”

The highlight of her experience at Stevens?  Senior design, she said.  And this is what she feels incoming students need to know if they’re weighing several colleges.  “Senior design is the most important hands-on dive into your major. It’s amazing,” Dominique said.  “Beyond the books, you seriously learn here by doing – like building mock ups, outputting information to the model shop, designing and running simulations.  By the time you leave Stevens, you understand and are confident because of this experience. It makes you distinct out there in the industry.” 

Dominique’s senior design project won top prize at the New Jersey Chapter meeting of the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers (ISPE).  The “Remotely-Operated Stitching Device,” was an exercise in pharmaceutical engineering.  Her team’s primary goal was to provide an innovative way to reduce, if not eliminate, invasive surgery. More specifically, the aim was to develop a method for securing an endovascular stent-graft in place from within the aorta using spiral Nitinol clips.  In addition to winning first place in the ISPE Poster Competition, the project won Stevens’ Technogenesis Award in 2004, and the team filed a U.S. patent for the device.  They also earned a National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Association grant. “I learned a lot during the senior design experience,” Dominique said. “And the highlights of the project were a big deal. We got to present in San Jose at a professional conference.  Most memorable for me, though, is having worked with Professor Zhengi Zhu, our senior design advisor. He is really incredible.  Working with faculty like him – very much known out there for his expertise, his research, and yet so available to students – is what you get at Stevens, and that makes all the difference.”

Stevens Students Power Their Futures at Career Day

Over 600 graduating seniors and graduate students at Stevens took advantage of the Class of 2011 Career Day last week, reporting to the Schaefer Athletic and Recreation Center to meet the nearly 100 employers who attended.  Marked by the students’ confidence and knowledge, their own resolution to succeed and their already impressive résumés, the Career Day also exemplified the comprehensive guidance students are given by the Office of Career Development at Stevens. 

Opportunity was knocking on both sides of the door at the event – for students, the chance to connect and discuss post-graduate employment; for the representatives of top companies wanting knowledgeable, highly-skilled, goal-oriented graduates, the occasion to recruit top candidates to meet their greatest business challenges. The conditions were right, as they overwhelmingly are at Stevens. And the result is success. For example, of last year's graduating class, 80 percent accepted offers of employment or enrollment in graduate or professional school programs - and 38% chose from more than one job offer.

For Roque Rios, senior computer engineering major, the Career Day was an opportunity to further enhance the connections he'd made during his IT internship at Colgate. "The face-to-face really helps," he said. "I'm doing what you need to do to make sure your resume gets on the 'good' pile for the jobs you're interested in." His advice to incoming students is to connect with the Office of Career Development early on, well before the various career fairs, and to attend the ongoing career placement workshops and other sessions offered to students. "Because of all the support here, there's really no reason to be lost about job placement at graduation," he said.

L’Oréal Human Resources Manager Terri Dedinski was one of several representatives from the company eager to speak to the Career Day participants. She noted that of the five Stevens students who were chosen for their Operations Internship Program last summer, three were offered permenant positions at the company after graduation. "The partnership with Stevens for internship and career placement has been very successful," she said. "There is a tremendous opportunity for growth for students. Whether during their internships or new employment with the company, their contributions are significant and become part of our ongoing product or process development. And they distinguish themselves on a leadership track that propels them to upper management."

The Career Day also included a luncheon at which employers were recognized for their ongoing support of Stevens students. The Employer of the Year Award was presented to The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ and accepted by Toshiya Morita, CIO, Systems Office for the Americas, Yawer Fadoo (M.S.`07), Vice President and Manager, Systems Office for the Americas, and Ann Stenson, V.P. of Human Resources. 

Reckitt Benckiser, a consumer products company that hired four Stevens students into research-based summer internships, received the Internship Employer of the Year Award. The students engaged in a variety of projects, from developing new products for the European market to testing antibacterial agents for bar soap. Accepting the award was Will Lenzetti, Global R&D Category Manager.

The Externship Award was given to THE Partnership: NJ Transit and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, for providing an outstanding learning experience to Stevens engineering students by coordinating site visits to one of the most exciting construction projects in the area.

The MIT Lincoln Laboratory Scholarship Awards were presented to Phillippe Pierre-Paul and Richard Sanchez.  Phillippe is a junior electrical engineering major pursuing a dual master’s degree in technology management and a minor in pre-law policy.  Richard is a computer engineering major and cooperative education student. The MIT Lincoln Laboratory scholarship was created three years ago and is awarded to two students each year. The director of the Laboratory, in recognition of the nation's critical need to develop more engineers provided scholarship funding to Stevens for these awards.  The recipients are selected on the basis of merit by Dean Deborah Berkley, who directs the Stevens Technical Enrichment Program (STEP).  "It's important to note that these students are not only outstanding students academically, but they are also leaders on campus, and very involved in helping their peers," she said.  

Lynn Insley, Director of the Office of Career Development, expressed how fortunate Stevens is to have longstanding employer relationships that facilitate students' professional development and lead to impressive career outcomes.  "Our students build their success early through internships, cooperative education assignments and research opportunities," she said.  "By the time Stevens students enter their senior year, they are well prepared to engage with recruiting professionals and secure employment opportunities that lead to rewarding careers."

 

Building a Career: Alexis Sowuleski Makes a Perfect Transition

From her first semester as a Business & Technology student, Alexis Sowuleski was already a frequent flyer in the Office of Career Development. She worked with the staff to refine her resume and discover internship opportunities tailored to underclassmen. "I attended various networking events and company information sessions and also participated in Career Development’s externship program, where I shadowed an alumna at Citigroup. I ultimately secured a clinical operations position at Schering-Plough (now Merck) through the spring career fair. I returned to the company for a second summer as an information technology intern, focusing on business analysis of a global application integration project," Alexis explains.

Over the course of her sophomore and junior years, Alexis was introduced to the financial services realm by several upperclassmen in her program. "Prior to gaining their insight, I assumed the banking world was just for accountants, finance majors, and number crunchers, not the hybrid business and technology students that Stevens produces. Looking back, I couldn’t have been more wrong," Alexis says.

Through the Career Development Office, Alexis secured an interview with JPMorgan Chase & Co. in the fall of her junior year and received an internship offer within the Investment Management Americas group as a technology analyst -- all before midterms. She was then invited to keep her position part-time throughout the year. "As my senior year began, I accepted a full-time position in the firm’s Corporate Development Program, which is a two-year training program designed to develop the company’s future leaders," Alexis explains. She began the program in July, two months after graduating from Stevens. "I look forward to my career at JPMC and can attribute my success not only to the academic preparation Stevens has given me, but also to the support the Office of Career Development provided to me throughout my tenure as a student," she says.

"Although the financial services industry is enormous, Stevens’ footprint across the banks has made it seem like a small world," says Alexis. "I’m in constant contact with my peers and older Stevens alumni at JPMC as well as other institutions, and I am confident this network will be a great resource throughout my career.”

Alexis is also currently pursuing her MBA in Project Management at Stevens.

Senior Sets Her Sights on Optometry School

There are a lot of sayings out there about the eyes, but for one Stevens student, the eyes are soon to be a career. Senior Diana Espaillat (Chemical Biology) will begin graduate school at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in the fall, where she will work to receive her Doctor of Optometry degree.

Intrigued by eyes from a young age, Diana came to Stevens for the exceptional science background she knew she’d receive here. She originally considered medical school, but after working in a hospital, knew it was optometry she was really interested in. Diana says: “I’ve had the opportunity to job shadow several optometrists. It was so rewarding to observe them. I love the idea of helping people – especially children – to see.”

During her time at Stevens, Diana has been involved in the Latin American Association, Stevens Christian Fellowship, Gear & Triangle and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. She also participated in the Stevens Technical Enrichment Program (STEP), which she felt was like a “mini-family” that was always extremely helpful to her throughout her entire time here.

Diana also credits the Office of Career Development with helping her prepare for her next step. She says: “The relationship their staff has with the students is great. They gave me great advice for my grad school application, including help with my personal statement. Plus they really prepared me for my interview at the school.” In addition, Diana feels that her professors always went above and beyond to help her and her classmates, saying they provided guidance and support throughout the program.

As she moves forward to the next step on her path to becoming an optometrist, Diana looks forward to getting involved at her new school the same way she did here. She says: “I have learned so much from my professors, and from fellow students at Stevens. Everyone here is so supportive, you are a face and a name. Stevens has taught me many things that I will take with me, and I feel prepared to conquer any challenges that come my way.”

Graduate School on the Horizon

Graduating seniors aren’t just busy securing jobs for after graduation, many Stevens students are hard at work on graduate school applications. Jake Mower, a senior Engineering Physics major, has that part behind him and now has to decide which graduate school to attend.

Jake, who credits his involvement in the Technogenesis Summer Scholars Program as a big part of his success, has been accepted into five prestigious graduate programs. With offers to attend Columbia, Stanford, University of California at Santa Barbara, University of Rochester and Cornell, Jake will begin his graduate studies at one of those schools in the fall. He will pursue his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Quantum Information Processing, an emerging field in which Jake hopes to make his career.

Through the Office of Academic Entrepreneurship at Stevens, Jake was able to participate in several diverse research projects during his time here. Beginning in the summer after his freshman year, Jake was a part of a research project each summer, allowing him to discover a whole range of research options and to hone in on his true passion. He says: “As easy as it is at Stevens to get involved with research, students still need to put forth the effort to become fully integrated into the projects. Talk to the professors, write the proposals… your research experience is very important when it comes to grad school applications.”

During his time at Stevens, Jake has also been active in many of our music and dramatic organizations and clubs, including the concert band, jazz band, jazz combo, Stevens Dramatic Society, and the orchestra for DeBaun productions. Jake is also a member of the Society of Stevens Physics Students.

As Jake moves on to pursue his Ph.D., he remains committed to research and the power that research experience has for students. He asserts: “The research experience that Stevens students get is so important. That experience gives us the advantage. It really makes a name for us as Stevens students, sets us apart and makes us highly competitive.” Jake can name at least five esteemed schools that completely agree.