University of Pittsburgh
Swanson School of Engineering Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Engineering Technology, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Cooperative Education Fall 2013
The Next Generation of Co-ops It’s been quite a year for co-op at Pitt. Our students are literally from one end of this great nation to the other, and a few have also stepped foot in other continents due to their work assignments. We have had the privilege of seeing quite a few alumni come back to tell us that to this day, co-op is one of the greatest opportunities they had. One of our alumni, Justin Filey, a chemical engineer currently living and working in Chicago, brought his daughter in to meet us. Justin co-oped many years ago with Nova Chemicals and had a great experience. He is strongly encouraging his daughter, who will be attending Pitt, to participate as well in co-op. Tim Gattie, an alumnus of both civil engineering and co-op, established a co-op program with his company in Seattle, Washington. Chris Hartman, with United Airlines, also instituted a co-op program that will hire our students in Chicago, San Francisco, or Houston. Chris is a former USAirways co-op. Nick Barr, chemical engineer
with Glatfelter in Chillicothe, Ohio, is working with our program and is also a co-op from several years ago. Dave Dress and Rachel Clark, both former co-ops with Polyone and current full-time engineers there, made it possible for us to expand our program with them to Wisconsin. Josh Whitney, former mechanical engineering co-op, brought BlackBox into the program and has already hired several very satisfied co-ops! And Dave Smith, another mechanical engineer with Philips Respironics, has begun a quite successful and popular co-op program! These are but a few examples of our successful engineers who are paying it forward. We appreciate so much the commitment of our employers and welcome all of our new companies. Students, we hope you have a great fall! If you are already in the program, we hope it is a great experience for you. If you are an applicant, we
look forward to seeing you at our co-op fair! As you can see, there is a lot of opportunity and the sky is the limit!
cannot imagine graduating “Icollege not having this experience, much thanks to Morris Knowles. Coming out of school with solid experience, co-op students certainly have the edge over other graduates.
”
Erin Gray Civil and Environmental Engineering Morris Knowles and Associates, Inc.
4moms: Co-op Through a Student’s Eyes When University of Pittsburgh junior Ali Schroder joined the 4moms Mechanical Engineering team in early January 2013, she made company history as our first cooperative education student. Ali quickly began contributing to several projects, including the design of accessories and a recline mechanism for a new product currently in development. One of the most important skills Ali learned was the process of building products for manufacture, specifically through the use of 3D printers. Communication and collaboration are keystones of the 4moms culture, and Ali was able develop these skills not only within her engineering group, but also through cross-functional efforts with industrial design, software, and marketing. In fact, Ali became so involved with and passionate about 4moms’ products and team members that it was hard for her to step away and return to classroom life. Ali offers the following advice to anyone interested in 4moms, and for all students in the co-op program in general: “Do not be afraid to ask questions—and don’t assume you’re the only one who has that question! Also, take the time to use the resources presented to you:
whether they be the people you work with, the tools and lab that are available to you, or the creative space needed to get around a roadblock.” Ali also added, “Finally, remember to embrace the change that comes with engineering. Requirements shift often, and it can be challenging for those working on the project to quickly pivot when they are so engrossed in the work. But, change comes with the industry and while it’s frustrating at times, being able to adapt with the changes will better prepare students for their future careers.” The opportunity to contribute to the 4moms team has given Ali a different view of what life post-Pitt could be. 4moms provided her the experience of a company that believes in not only building awesome products, but also in building a great company. Ali eagerly anticipates resuming her co-op with 4moms this fall; and we eagerly anticipate her return. Submitted by Cat Tinsley, 4moms Talent Acquisition
Cooperative Education Alumni Hall of Fame: Laura (Chessa) Natal BSChE ’07
Co-op Students Receive Awards, Honors, and Positions of Leadership Co-op students continue to make co-op, Swanson School of Engineering, and the University proud through their accomplishments, work ethic, and commitment. Awards for academic year 2012– 2013 are listed below:
Leadership
Mary Beth Biddle (alumna), elected VP, Communications of Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Ashley McCray, voted Region 2 Programs Chair of the National Society of Black Engineers Sossena Wood (alumna), elected National Chairperson of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
Scholarships
David Eckman (industrial engineering), Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship 2013 Jonathan Fako (industrial engineering), Dwight D. Gardner Scholarship 2012-2013; IIE Harold and Inge Marcus Scholarship
Chiang Scholarship (chemical engineering) Matthew Abramson Nathan Blandino Benjamin Carlson Lauren Sakerka
NSBE Leaders Sossena Wood and Ashley McCray
Joe Shamlin (mechanical engineering), Nuclear Regulatory Commission Scholarship
Ouiam Koubaab (chemical engineering), co-op with Air Products
Brian Tackett (chemical engineering), Edward B. Stuart and Geraldine J. Stuart Memorial Scholarship
Maryem Mabrouk (industrial engineering), co-op with Heinz North America
II-VI Foundation Scholarship recipients II-VI Scholarships are awarded to students in the fields of engineering, math and science. One unique aspect of the scholarship is the requirement of nine weeks of manufacturing, engineering, or science-related experience in an industrial setting. Kevin Halpin (mechanical engineering), co-op with Westinghouse
Gian-Gabriel Garcia (industrial engineering), UPS Scholarship for Minority Students
Matthew Hilger (mechanical engineering), co-op with DuPont
Karen Kaminsky (chemical engineering), Margaret A. Thomas Award
Kevin Hough (mechanical engineering), co-op with Eaton
John Migliozzi (industrial engineering), IIE Outstanding Senior Award 2012-2013
Zachary Kauffman (mechanical engineering), co-op with Curtiss Wright
Robert Maier (mechanical engineering), co-op with Curtiss Wright Herve Nyirinkwaya (electrical engineering), co-op with Eaton Sarah Pachesky (chemical engineering), co-op with Appleton Papers in Appleton, Wisconsin Andrew Smith (mechanical engineering), co-op with Eaton Brian Tackett (chemical engineering), co-op with MSA and Allegheny Ludlum Haotian Wang (chemical engineering), co-op with Lubrizol in Cleveland and Houston Lin Wu (industrial engineering), co-op with MSA Ziqun Zhou (electrical engineering), co-op with Bombardier
Nominations Open for Co-op Student of the Year, Co-op Employer of the Year The co-op program is fortunate to have strong employer partners and smart, capable students. Co-op Student of the Year and Co-op Employer of the Year recognize the time, effort, and hard work both parties have contributed. This is the time of year to think about those outstanding companies and individuals and submit nominations for the 2013 awards. The criteria for Co-op Student of the Year are:
The criteria for Co-op Employer of the Year are:
1. Excellent academic record
1. Sustained commitment to cooperative education at the University of Pittsburgh
2. O utstanding work contributions with co-op employer (students must have three rotations completed)
2. Quality of projects and assignments
3. Volunteerism or contributions to co-op or University community. Ideally, we would like to have one nominee from each department. The University of Pittsburgh can select one candidate to represent us in the National Co-op Student of the Year competition, which is sponsored by the Cooperative Education Division of the American Society for Engineering Education. The winner will be sent to our annual conference, this year to be held in Savannah, Georgia, in February 2014. The winner will receive recognition at our annual conference along with a plaque and check for $500. We have won this award twice and have had many outstanding finalists.
The Co-op Employer of the Year and all Pitt Co-op of the Year nominees will be honored at our annual recognition dinner scheduled for Friday, December 6, 2013, at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association. We look forward to accepting your nominations. Please submit your nomination by Friday, October 11, 2013, to Maureen Barcic at paub2m@pitt.edu. Feel free to contact her with all questions pertaining to the nomination process.
As my youngest sibling started her first classes at the Swanson School of Engineering this semester, I find myself often reminiscing on my personal journey and reflecting on how the University of Pittsburgh has greatly impacted our family. My engineering education built a strong foundation for me to apply at work so that I may succeed, and my co-op experience provided me with the opportunity to apply some of that classroom knowledge to realworld applications. By the time that I had graduated, I had become a well-rounded individual with practical experience who employers were seeking to have as part of their team. In my sophomore year of chemical engineering, I attended a presentation by Johnson & Johnson on their co-op program and I was hooked. The presentation was being led by a Pitt alumna who had worked for J&J for several years. She recognized the talent that Pitt harbored and brought the J&J co-op program to campus. I was fortunate enough to be selected as a co-op, and I could not have been more excited. By the time that I had graduated, I had spent a total of 13 months supporting some of the most well-renowned Over-the-Counter (OTC) medications, Tylenol® and Motrin®, in their Plant Project Management group. When I returned from my first rotation, I had truly become an improved student. I had a tangible end goal, examples to use in class that were directly related to the material, and suddenly the class material became more manageable (not easy, but manageable). I wanted to be a full-time J&J employee, and I wasn’t going to let anything get in my way. Upon graduating in 2007, I was offered several positions to select for full-time hire, which I know for certain is directly related to my J&J co-op experience and the interpersonal skills that I had learned working there. Luckily, J&J was one of the offers and I began working there immediately following graduation as a capital engineer. Through promotions, organizational changes, and personal changes, I have worked in other positions as well: process improvement engineer (J&J), senior strategic sourcing lead for packaging (J&J), process engineer (Campbell Soup Company), and most recently, business program leader (Campbell Soup Company) where I am the project manager for the V8 beverage business taking new products developed by R&D and marketing and commercializing them often on accelerated timelines and budgets.
as many questions as you can. “Ask Immerse yourself in the culture. If you do not feel that you are doing value added work, talk to your manager and find out what you need to prove to get assigned to that work. Create measurable goals and a plan with him/her to ensure that you get the most out of your rotation. Co-op is your inperson interview, so be motivated, inquisitive, and don’t waste this opportunity!
”
Laura (Chessna) Natal BSChE ’07 I have always felt indebted to the Pitt co-op program because I believe that it jumpstarted my career. For this reason, I wanted to give back to the school and provide other students with the same opportunity. I became a lead recruiter for McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the company of J&J that produces Tylenol® and Motrin®, among other leading brands. Because of the fantastic talent that my partner and I were recruiting from Pitt, other departments at McNeil started requesting Pitt co-ops and the number of positions grew. Unfortunately, some circumstances presented themselves at McNeil that caused several plant closures and many jobs to be eliminated, which included co-op positions. I had already offered positions to these co-ops, but I knew that it was my responsibility to not let them down. I remembered being the student jumping around my living room hearing the news that I had gotten my first co-op job offer. I called several contacts at other J&J companies and luckily found placement for those co-ops. Because of this effort, I was awarded with the Lou Takacs Award by the Cooperative & Experiential Education Division (CEED), which is a national award for “employers who have made significant, honorable, and meritorious contributions to the promotion of the philosophy and practice of cooperative in engineering and technology” CED Lou Takacs Award Guidelines. To this day, the award is proudly displayed at my desk and is one of my proudest moments because it is a testament to my ethics and values.
The four Chessa siblings (left to right) – Stephan (anticipated BSIE ’14), Laura (BSChE ’07), Julia (anticipated BSIE ‘16), and Ray (BSChE ’12).
Not only has the Swanson engineering school and its co-op program impacted my life, but also three of my younger siblings. Ray (chemical engineering, ’12) had co-op experiences at Tetra Tech and Johnson & Johnson. He now works for BASF, a global chemical company, in their rotational leadership development program. Stephan (industrial engineering, ’14) has had several rotations for Volvo Construction and has been able to apply process improvement tools that he has learned in the classroom. Julia (industrial engineering, ’16) just transferred into the Swanson School of Engineering as a sophomore, but she is already planning her first co-op rotation for next summer or fall. I am unbelievably proud and excited for all of them! I will end on the single piece of advice that I have given to my siblings, my co-ops, and any college student that I meet: find a co-op! And when you are on that co-op, try to get as much real experience as possible. Ask as many questions as you can. Immerse yourself in the culture. If you do not feel that you are doing value added work, talk to your manager and find out what you need to prove to get assigned to that work. Create measurable goals and a plan with him/her to ensure that you get the most out of your rotation. Co-op is your in-person interview, so be motivated, inquisitive, and don’t waste this opportunity! It has the potential to direct your life. Laura (Chessa) Natal, PMP Chemical Engineering ‘07
Cooperative Education Alumni Hall of Fame: Laura (Chessa) Natal BSChE ’07
Co-op Students Receive Awards, Honors, and Positions of Leadership Co-op students continue to make co-op, Swanson School of Engineering, and the University proud through their accomplishments, work ethic, and commitment. Awards for academic year 2012– 2013 are listed below:
Leadership
Mary Beth Biddle (alumna), elected VP, Communications of Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Ashley McCray, voted Region 2 Programs Chair of the National Society of Black Engineers Sossena Wood (alumna), elected National Chairperson of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
Scholarships
David Eckman (industrial engineering), Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship 2013 Jonathan Fako (industrial engineering), Dwight D. Gardner Scholarship 2012-2013; IIE Harold and Inge Marcus Scholarship
Chiang Scholarship (chemical engineering) Matthew Abramson Nathan Blandino Benjamin Carlson Lauren Sakerka
NSBE Leaders Sossena Wood and Ashley McCray
Joe Shamlin (mechanical engineering), Nuclear Regulatory Commission Scholarship
Ouiam Koubaab (chemical engineering), co-op with Air Products
Brian Tackett (chemical engineering), Edward B. Stuart and Geraldine J. Stuart Memorial Scholarship
Maryem Mabrouk (industrial engineering), co-op with Heinz North America
II-VI Foundation Scholarship recipients II-VI Scholarships are awarded to students in the fields of engineering, math and science. One unique aspect of the scholarship is the requirement of nine weeks of manufacturing, engineering, or science-related experience in an industrial setting. Kevin Halpin (mechanical engineering), co-op with Westinghouse
Gian-Gabriel Garcia (industrial engineering), UPS Scholarship for Minority Students
Matthew Hilger (mechanical engineering), co-op with DuPont
Karen Kaminsky (chemical engineering), Margaret A. Thomas Award
Kevin Hough (mechanical engineering), co-op with Eaton
John Migliozzi (industrial engineering), IIE Outstanding Senior Award 2012-2013
Zachary Kauffman (mechanical engineering), co-op with Curtiss Wright
Robert Maier (mechanical engineering), co-op with Curtiss Wright Herve Nyirinkwaya (electrical engineering), co-op with Eaton Sarah Pachesky (chemical engineering), co-op with Appleton Papers in Appleton, Wisconsin Andrew Smith (mechanical engineering), co-op with Eaton Brian Tackett (chemical engineering), co-op with MSA and Allegheny Ludlum Haotian Wang (chemical engineering), co-op with Lubrizol in Cleveland and Houston Lin Wu (industrial engineering), co-op with MSA Ziqun Zhou (electrical engineering), co-op with Bombardier
Nominations Open for Co-op Student of the Year, Co-op Employer of the Year The co-op program is fortunate to have strong employer partners and smart, capable students. Co-op Student of the Year and Co-op Employer of the Year recognize the time, effort, and hard work both parties have contributed. This is the time of year to think about those outstanding companies and individuals and submit nominations for the 2013 awards. The criteria for Co-op Student of the Year are:
The criteria for Co-op Employer of the Year are:
1. Excellent academic record
1. Sustained commitment to cooperative education at the University of Pittsburgh
2. O utstanding work contributions with co-op employer (students must have three rotations completed)
2. Quality of projects and assignments
3. Volunteerism or contributions to co-op or University community. Ideally, we would like to have one nominee from each department. The University of Pittsburgh can select one candidate to represent us in the National Co-op Student of the Year competition, which is sponsored by the Cooperative Education Division of the American Society for Engineering Education. The winner will be sent to our annual conference, this year to be held in Savannah, Georgia, in February 2014. The winner will receive recognition at our annual conference along with a plaque and check for $500. We have won this award twice and have had many outstanding finalists.
The Co-op Employer of the Year and all Pitt Co-op of the Year nominees will be honored at our annual recognition dinner scheduled for Friday, December 6, 2013, at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association. We look forward to accepting your nominations. Please submit your nomination by Friday, October 11, 2013, to Maureen Barcic at paub2m@pitt.edu. Feel free to contact her with all questions pertaining to the nomination process.
As my youngest sibling started her first classes at the Swanson School of Engineering this semester, I find myself often reminiscing on my personal journey and reflecting on how the University of Pittsburgh has greatly impacted our family. My engineering education built a strong foundation for me to apply at work so that I may succeed, and my co-op experience provided me with the opportunity to apply some of that classroom knowledge to realworld applications. By the time that I had graduated, I had become a well-rounded individual with practical experience who employers were seeking to have as part of their team. In my sophomore year of chemical engineering, I attended a presentation by Johnson & Johnson on their co-op program and I was hooked. The presentation was being led by a Pitt alumna who had worked for J&J for several years. She recognized the talent that Pitt harbored and brought the J&J co-op program to campus. I was fortunate enough to be selected as a co-op, and I could not have been more excited. By the time that I had graduated, I had spent a total of 13 months supporting some of the most well-renowned Over-the-Counter (OTC) medications, Tylenol® and Motrin®, in their Plant Project Management group. When I returned from my first rotation, I had truly become an improved student. I had a tangible end goal, examples to use in class that were directly related to the material, and suddenly the class material became more manageable (not easy, but manageable). I wanted to be a full-time J&J employee, and I wasn’t going to let anything get in my way. Upon graduating in 2007, I was offered several positions to select for full-time hire, which I know for certain is directly related to my J&J co-op experience and the interpersonal skills that I had learned working there. Luckily, J&J was one of the offers and I began working there immediately following graduation as a capital engineer. Through promotions, organizational changes, and personal changes, I have worked in other positions as well: process improvement engineer (J&J), senior strategic sourcing lead for packaging (J&J), process engineer (Campbell Soup Company), and most recently, business program leader (Campbell Soup Company) where I am the project manager for the V8 beverage business taking new products developed by R&D and marketing and commercializing them often on accelerated timelines and budgets.
as many questions as you can. “Ask Immerse yourself in the culture. If you do not feel that you are doing value added work, talk to your manager and find out what you need to prove to get assigned to that work. Create measurable goals and a plan with him/her to ensure that you get the most out of your rotation. Co-op is your inperson interview, so be motivated, inquisitive, and don’t waste this opportunity!
”
Laura (Chessna) Natal BSChE ’07 I have always felt indebted to the Pitt co-op program because I believe that it jumpstarted my career. For this reason, I wanted to give back to the school and provide other students with the same opportunity. I became a lead recruiter for McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the company of J&J that produces Tylenol® and Motrin®, among other leading brands. Because of the fantastic talent that my partner and I were recruiting from Pitt, other departments at McNeil started requesting Pitt co-ops and the number of positions grew. Unfortunately, some circumstances presented themselves at McNeil that caused several plant closures and many jobs to be eliminated, which included co-op positions. I had already offered positions to these co-ops, but I knew that it was my responsibility to not let them down. I remembered being the student jumping around my living room hearing the news that I had gotten my first co-op job offer. I called several contacts at other J&J companies and luckily found placement for those co-ops. Because of this effort, I was awarded with the Lou Takacs Award by the Cooperative & Experiential Education Division (CEED), which is a national award for “employers who have made significant, honorable, and meritorious contributions to the promotion of the philosophy and practice of cooperative in engineering and technology” CED Lou Takacs Award Guidelines. To this day, the award is proudly displayed at my desk and is one of my proudest moments because it is a testament to my ethics and values.
The four Chessa siblings (left to right) – Stephan (anticipated BSIE ’14), Laura (BSChE ’07), Julia (anticipated BSIE ‘16), and Ray (BSChE ’12).
Not only has the Swanson engineering school and its co-op program impacted my life, but also three of my younger siblings. Ray (chemical engineering, ’12) had co-op experiences at Tetra Tech and Johnson & Johnson. He now works for BASF, a global chemical company, in their rotational leadership development program. Stephan (industrial engineering, ’14) has had several rotations for Volvo Construction and has been able to apply process improvement tools that he has learned in the classroom. Julia (industrial engineering, ’16) just transferred into the Swanson School of Engineering as a sophomore, but she is already planning her first co-op rotation for next summer or fall. I am unbelievably proud and excited for all of them! I will end on the single piece of advice that I have given to my siblings, my co-ops, and any college student that I meet: find a co-op! And when you are on that co-op, try to get as much real experience as possible. Ask as many questions as you can. Immerse yourself in the culture. If you do not feel that you are doing value added work, talk to your manager and find out what you need to prove to get assigned to that work. Create measurable goals and a plan with him/her to ensure that you get the most out of your rotation. Co-op is your in-person interview, so be motivated, inquisitive, and don’t waste this opportunity! It has the potential to direct your life. Laura (Chessa) Natal, PMP Chemical Engineering ‘07
Cooperative Education Co-op Partner Mascaro Construction Company awarded prestigious American Business Ethics Award 2012 In 1988, Jack Mascaro had a vision to build a successful construction company based on trust and the highest ethical standards of personal and business behavior. Jack worked diligently to instill a thoroughly ethical approach to interpersonal relationships and business practices. With each project, with each client, and with each employee who joined the company as it grew over the years, Jack never lost that singular focus on trust and ethics. As chairman of the board, he takes the responsibility for ethical behavior more seriously than ever—even to the point of personally instructing ethics courses for all new Mascaro employees. Now peers and observers have taken note of the Mascaro business model. Recently, Mascaro Construction Company received a national honor, earning the 2012 American Business Ethics Award (ABEA) from the Foundation for Financial Service Professionals, joining past recipients such as Lockheed Martin, General Mills, MEDRAD, Whirlpool, and Hewlett-Packard. Receiving the ABEA recognition serves as affirmation that Jack Mascaro’s early vision for his company has become reality. Under his direction, Mascaro Construction Company has emerged as a leading contractor for multiple high-profile buildings and infrastructure projects across the region and around the nation. The Mascaro principle of trust has been instilled across the company’s roughly 800-person staff and field-based workforce, as well as among Jack’s three sons, John, Jeffrey, and Michael Mascaro, who now operate the company. “It is especially rewarding to see my sons using trust and ethical decision-making as the foundation for advancing our company to new heights,” said Jack. Reprinted, courtesy of Mascaro Construction. Source: www.mascaroconstruction.com/2012-americanbusiness-ethics-award
has been the most valuable experience of my college education. There is “Co-op no substitute for real world experience.”
Justin Daniels, Mechanical Engineering Siemens Energy Inc.
“Excellent company to co-op for.””
Thomas McQuin Chemical Engineering and Chemistry The Valspar Corporation
Dates to Remember Employer Panel Tuesday, September 17, 2013 157 Benedum Hall 7–9 p.m. RSVP: caf54@pitt.edu Annual Fall Co-op Job Fair Tuesday, September 24, 2013 William Pitt Student Union 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nomination deadline Student of the Year October 11, 2013 CONTACT: Maureen at paub2m@pitt.edu Nomination deadline Employer of the Year October 11, 2013 CONTACT: Maureen at paub2m@pitt.edu Senior Recognition Dinner* Friday, December 6, 2013 5–7 p.m. * completion of rotations required – further information will be sent via e-mail Annual Spring 2014 Co-op Job Fair February 20, 2014 William Pitt Student Union
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering Cooperative Education Program 152D Benedum Hall 412-624-9826 www.engineering.pitt.edu/coop Co-Op Staff Maureen Barcic Director paub2m@pitt.edu Chris Frankovic Associate Director caf54@pitt.edu Tracy Severson Program Administrator trs57@pitt.edu The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution. Published in cooperation with the Department Communications Services. DCS92354-0913