Category: Careers

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Catching Up with Alumni: Lauren Schmitt ’15, Music Education

Grove City College Music Education

Knowing how four years and a degree from Grove City College can help you will help make your college search so much easier, so I caught up with 2015 graduate, Lauren Schmitt, to see how her Music Education degree from Grove City College was helping her now.

Q. For what age range is your teaching certification?

A. My education certification is K-12 and I am also certified to teach both vocal music and instrumental music.

Q. I know you live in New Jersey. Since Grove City is located in Pennsylvania did you have an trouble getting your certification to transfer from Pennsylvania to New Jersey?

A. I had no trouble getting my PA certification to transfer to an NJ certification. All I had to do was send in a copy of my PA cert and they sent me an NJ cert. PA and NJ have very similar expectations and requirements for their teachers so the certifications transfer over really easily.

Q. What is your current position and who is your current employer?  Did your Grove City degree help/hinder you in getting that position?

A. I currently teach 4th and 5th grade instrumental music (band) in the Parsippany Troy-Hills School District. I’m not really sure if my Grove City degree helped or hindered in me getting this position. Since I grew up in the district that I’m working in, I have a lot of connections with the other music teachers in the district. I think that helped me a lot in getting an interview as well as getting the position. The one thing that certainly helped in the interview process was that when I did my student teaching, I got to student teach with all grades K-12. Most colleges in the NJ area don’t have that opportunity for their students. On the secondary level they either student teach at a middle school or a high school level. When I did my student teaching at Lakeview, they had one band teacher for both the middle school and high school so I had the opportunity to work with beginner students as well as the most advanced students in the school.

Q. I know you are also working on grad school classes, what has that experience been like?  Has your Grove City degree helped/hindered you in any way?

A. I am currently about half way done with my Masters in Music Education through Boston University’s online program. It has been a great experience so far, but completely different from any other education experience I’ve ever had. Since I’m taking all of my classes online, I pretty much get to set the pace of everything I’m learning, I just need to make sure I’m handing in all of my assignments on time. Most of my contact with my professors is all through email which is something I’m still getting used to. Grove City College definitely helped me with figuring out the best way to balance my schedule. I’m still working while I’m taking classes so my schedule can sometimes get a little crazy. In the fall, along with grad school and work, I was also working with our high school marching band five days a week. I am constantly trying to find a balance between getting work done and doing school work. Thankfully, at Grove City I was a member of a lot of musical ensembles and most of my nights were spent in rehearsals. I usually never got back to my room until about 9:30 every night. Because of this, I had to find time to get all of my homework done, which is kind of like what I’m doing now. I’ve also been able to take a lot of the material that I learned in my classes at Grove City and apply them to my grad school classes.

Q. What do you miss most about Grove City College?

A.  The biggest thing I miss about Grove City is the community of friends I had out at school. As a music ed major, I was taking most of my classes with the same people every day for four years. Because of this, we grew really close pretty quickly. Two out of my three roommates my senior year were also music ed majors. I also became really close with a lot of my professors. Since most of the music professors teach multiple classes, we were able to have them over a number of semesters. Since our class sizes were small, we got to know our professors really well. I miss how much the professors cared about you as a person and not just as a student. I still remember my senior year, I had a midterm review in my Issues in Education class an hour before my senior recital jury. I remember talking to the professor about it a few days before the class and she told me that she knew I wasn’t going to be able to focus on class that day so I should get the notes from someone else and focus on my jury. When I saw her after my jury, she made sure to ask how I did and you could tell she was genuinely interested to hear how I did.

Q. Would you recommend Grove City College to prospective high school students?  Why or why not?

A. I would recommend Grove City to prospective High School students, especially if you do well in small classroom settings. When I was first looking at colleges, I knew I was looking for a smaller classroom setting because I knew that’s how I learned better. I wanted to be able to ask my professors questions and have them know who I was. This is exactly what I got at Grove City, even in my humanities classes.

Q. What is your best piece of advice for an incoming Grove City College student?

A. I have two pieces of advice or incoming Grove City students. My first piece of advice is to get to know your professors. Once I got to know my professors well, it changed the way I learned at Grove City. I wasn’t afraid to go in to their office hours and ask them questions. It also helps because you are going to be sitting in their class two or three times a week. If you can get to know them and they get to know you, it makes class more interesting. My other piece of advice is to get involved in activities on campus. My freshman year, I didn’t participate in many things outside of class. I thought it might help to make my transition into college a little easier. I was in marching band, but other than that I didn’t participate in many other activities. My sophomore year, I joined every major performing ensemble on campus (marching band, concert band, wind ensemble, orchestra, and choir) as well as a few other performing groups (woodwind quintet, flute choir, pit orchestra, etc.) and it changed my whole GCC experience. I got to know so many more people and experience a lot of new things. I even got to play with the woodwind quintet at the president’s house. Yes, it may make your schedule a little more crazy, but it is totally worth it.  

Q. Is there anything else that you would like to share about experience during or after your time at Grove City College?

A. Because of my time spent at Grove City, I felt really prepared for life after college. With the information I learned in class, I felt completely ready to take over a classroom of my own. Grove City prepares you for what you are going to face in the future. Also, just because you leave school, it doesn’t mean that you stop learning. Don’t stop looking for opportunities to learn outside of the classroom. There is always room for improvement.

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On-Campus Jobs: Call Team Member of the Admissions Telecommunications Department

Grove City is really unique in its offerings of various on campus jobs, as well as off campus jobs. With so many local business, and some national chain stores nearby, it can be overwhelming at times. Thankfully, Grove City works with student’s schedules, and offers many on campus jobs with varying tasks.

This semester, I have had the fortunate opportunity to work as a call team member for Grove City Admissions. I started in the position beginning in late August when the semester began, and recently they have been looking for more callers to add to their team!

This position entails several tasks. Steve Vago is the organizer of the Call-Team, and is regularly interacting with the call team, whether through training, aiding a particular question, or guiding prospective students though their application process. I collaborate with Steve and get the script for the week, which is our guide to who our target audience is that we will be calling, as well as the reason for our call.

Additionally, we engage in conversation with the prospective student and answer personable questions about our own experience at Grove City. Often, high school students we call wish to learn more about juggling various activities, or as about the food on campus. What better way to show them about Grove City than to have its own students give credibility and their personal stories to others? Not only does it benefit the prospective student, but provides positive customer service experience and PR for the college.

Through this working position, I have noticed countless benefits that will be applicable to the real world. Interpersonal communication is vital in both the work place and daily life, and conversations call team members are having will enhance those skills. Additionally, the supervisor/employee relationship is very strong with this team. Steve will come in and is very understanding with students’ busy schedules and is intentional about getting to know his team members and how he can best help them succeed and relate to prospective students.

It has also been a blessing to have two other members of my housing group as call team members. Through our interactions in that setting, we have grown closer in friendship and brotherhood, and well as better collaborating and problem-solving through certain questions one of us might not be able to answer right away.

I strongly encourage students to really consider applying for an on campus position. You will learn invaluable skills and make lasting relationships with the people you work for and with.

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Catching Up with Alumni: Joe Hanson ’17, Mechanical Engineering

Grove City College Mechanical Engineering

While your college experience is certainly formative and the environment at a college is definitely a huge factor in choosing the one that is right for you, you also want to know that your degree will be worth something after your four years are over.  I recently caught up with 2017 graduate, Joe Hanson to see how he is using his degree and how his time at Grove City College impacted him.

Q. What is your current position and who is your current employer?  How did you connect with this employer?

A.  I am a mechanical engineer at Karpinski Engineering. Taking the Career Fair seriously was the best decision I made in my four years in college. I was able to talk to many companies and gain valuable insight and experience in talking to professionals in a professional setting. It was much easier than expected; I talked to around 10 companies, and each was engaging and offered unique insight into the working world. I talked to Karpinski for about 10 minutes and received an email with an interview invitation a couple weeks later. I ended up interviewing with three different companies in late September and early October, and all companies were present on campus at either the Career Fair or in a separate campus event.

Q. How did Grove City/your Grove City degree help/hinder you finding employment?

A. A mechanical engineering degree made my job search fairly easy. My opinion, from personal experience as well as seeing others’ experiences, is that someone pursuing a mechanical engineering degree can expect to find great success as long as he/she is active in the job search. The Career Fair is a very easy and accessible opportunity to meet potential employers and allows people to personally connect. Applying to jobs online is much less personal and often made me feel reduced to a number.

Q. What do you miss most about Grove City?

A. I miss the community most. I made great friendships at Grove City, and, while many have continued past college, I miss having everyone all together on one campus.

Q. Would you recommend Grove City to perspective high school students?  Why or why not?

A. Grove City offers a great value of an education. The price is right, and employment opportunities are plentiful. Humanities courses were informative and well-rounded as well, and a few classes forced young Christians to evaluate and challenge their personal beliefs, a very important part of one’s spiritual journey. I would recommend Grove City to anyone wanting a balanced, wholesome education and experience with a job offer at the end of it.

Q. What is your best piece of advice for an incoming Grove City student?

A. Hit the ground running. Talk to professors, get ahead in your classes, get involved in clubs on campus, find ways to meet upperclassmen. Form as many connections as you can upon arrival, before you and your peers are buried in the books.

Q. Is there anything else that you would like to share about your experience during or after life at Grove City?

A. It was a wonderful experience. There were many difficult semesters (everyone learns that Grove City classes are not a cakewalk), but they were well worth the effort. There are few places you’ll encounter in life that offer a plethora of social and educational opportunities that are generally wholesome throughout.

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Will a Small, Christian School Be a Problem When I am Career-Searching?

via burst.shopify.com

One of the most common concerns I’ve heard from high schoolers in their college search is this: Will employers hire me if I have a degree from a small, Christian school?

I’m shocked by this worry.

I just started my junior year at Grove City College, and right now I have an on-campus, paid graphic design job. Today, I was called in to interview for another part-time position at a national business and technology solutions company. A few weeks ago, a company in Washington D.C. reached out to me to talk about being the ‘young voice’ of a six-person marketing team they were building. I also have a paid internship with a multi-billion dollar biotechnical company lined up for the summer.

I do not specify the size or scope of these places to brag, but simply to express that small schools do not have to lead to small jobs.

The company I am going to be working for this summer, I worked for last summer, too. To emphasize to you how employable a Grove City College degree is, my employer for this job told me I was selected out of more than 300 applicants, many of them Ivy Leaguers. Of the final pick of interns at this company, more than 85% were from Ivy League schools. I personally did not even encounter another intern without an Ivy League or next-to-Ivy League degree – except for one. Another current Grove City student ended up being accepted to this company to intern as well.

Now, this is an organization in New York, with no ties at all to Grove City. My application went through a lot of employees before I even got an interview. I doubt more than one of them, if any at all, had even heard of Grove City. It didn’t matter. Both the other girl from Grove City and I had secured internships there. This was a perfect testament to me of how employable Grovers are – in both Christian circles and in the business world at large.

When I ultimately did talk to my employer about why they chose me for my internship position, the answer had nothing to do with school. It came down to three main qualities they cared about:

  1. I did my research before the interviews. I knew what the company was, their values, and why I wanted to work for the company. I was able to express specifically why they stood out to me in my search process.
  2. I was enthusiastic. During my emails, phone interviews, and video interviews, my employer said it struck her how passionate I sounded about the topics we discussed. That was important to her.
  3. I had organized knowledge on the topics I needed to know. When I was asked questions about business, marketing, or management, I stayed calm whether I felt confident or not about the answers. I had thought-through opinions and understanding of the information she referenced.
  4. I was grateful. After every conversation, every question, every interview, I made sure to show my appreciation for the time recruiters and my manager were spending on me.

These qualities were far more important to my company than the fact that I was from a small school. And the fact that Grove City had a wonderful academic reputation served me when people at my company looked it up during the recruitment process.

So I encourage you, regardless of what college you end up at, not to be overly concerned about the notoriety of it. Be much more focused on how you present yourself to companies, how many jobs you apply for, and how many connections (and friendships) you build along the way. Those are the qualities that Grove City College nurtures in students, and in my experience, it has always been more effective to be kind, enthusiastic, and productive than it would be to go to a big-name school.

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The Fellows Initiative: Pursuing Excellence

Pittsburgh FellowsAs a graduating senior, one of the most frightening questions you are faced with is “What comes next?” While you know that the past four years have prepared you for the journey ahead, a little healthy stress may find its way into your  thought process.

I had the good fortune of securing what my next step would be back in the end of my fall semester. I was accepted into a program known as the Pittsburgh Fellows, which is a leadership development program based out of St. Stephen’s Church in Sewickley, just a short drive from Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Fellows is dedicated to helping recent graduates at the beginning of their career. Through one of the many partners the Fellows are associated with, from PNC to UPMC, the Fellows work full hours from Monday through Thursday, learning from the businesses with whom you are placed. It’s a wonderful way to experience and learn more about the business world straight out of school.

Another way in which the Pittsburgh Fellows trains their Fellows is through mentorship with local business leaders, providing them with a professional sounding board that they can use and be built up by. The Pittsburgh Fellows doesn’t want to send their Fellows into the business world blind, but rather with a network around them that wants the best for them and looks to serve their best interest.15289148_1306178019420328_529824465072875269_o

The program is not only looking to foster career growth but also personal, spiritual growth. Fridays for the Fellows are dedicated to taking classes at Trinity School for Ministry, focusing on leadership, theology, and community involvement. The program’s seeks to prepare future business leaders, specifically focusing on positions within businesses in the Pittsburgh area.

One of the greatest resources the Pittsburgh Fellows provides a network of business-minded individuals, both program alumni and partner organizations. This network is formed and maintained with the intent to create a Christ-centered community, there to build up and assist young professionals and business leaders alike. Regular networking events and opportunities to connect are available for the Pittsburgh community.

While Pittsburgh has one of the most reputable programs, there are 25 programs across the United States that are dedicated to cultivating young Christians into strong leaders in their community. Along with the Pittsburgh Fellows, Grove City Students are currently participating in the Charlottesville, VA and Washington, D.C. Recently advertisements for the Chattanooga Fellows were posted around campus. Grove City is known for producing quality individuals, and these programs want to capitalize on these individuals, giving them more opportunities to excel.

I’ve had many opportunities to interact with current Fellows and those who run the program, and I am thrilled to be getting this opportunity. There’s nothing like the feeling of not only having a plan, but also having a plan that you know has long term benefits.

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How to be Successful in Your Internship

During the summer of 2016, I had an internship at Covestro. Covestro is a material science company located in Robinson, PA. This company has three product categories: polycarbonates, polyurethanes, and coatings/adhesives. I was working in polycarbonates in industrial marketing. At first I was a little bit nervous. I had never been very interested in science and I wasn’t sure how I was going to fully understand Covestro’s products, let alone market them! However, I had heard great things about the company and I was excited to give the internship my best! Overall, it ended up being a wonderful experience and I wouldn’t have changed a thing about it. I even was able to get college credit. Here is advice I would give to anyone taking on a summer internship.

Be Open-Minded

As I said before, I knew nothing about science and I was not sure how this internship was going to go! However, I think what really helped me was to pursue the internship with an open mind and excitement. I choose to focus on the positive and not dwell on the negative. Though an internship at a “science” company may have seemed intimidating at first, by the end of the summer I was convinced there was not a better internship out there!

Ask Questions

Working at Covestro at the beginning of the company was extremely intimidating. When I first began this internship I didn’t even know what a polycarbonate was. This is why it was so important to be asking my managers the correct questions I needed to be asking in order to be successful. Though when you are the “new guy” wherever your internship may be, it is important to remember that they hired you knowing they would need to teach you a few things. There is nothing wrong with asking questions. It took my a couple weeks to gain the confidence I needed to ask questions. I wish I would have known at the very beginning how important and acceptable asking questions is when you don’t understand. There is never a dumb question!

Be a Standout

While you are doing your internship it is important to stand out. You never know what opportunities could come of the internship. It could turn into an internship next summer, or even a job. This is why, if you are lucky enough to have an internship, it is so important to take full advantage. This means don’t be late! Show up every day ready to work hard. Even if the dress code is a little more casual, dress for the job you want and not the job you have. Be sure to dress professional every day and look your best. Lastly, don’t be a slacker. Work your hardest on each project that is given to you. If you do this, you will be sure to be a standout as this is not an overly common trait in today’s world. I know it may be hard to believe, but it just takes a little more effort to be a complete standout. Always show you are eager and excited about the work you are doing. You only have this internship for three months, so make it your goal to be “on” every single day.

Save your Money

While I was working at Covestro, I had the opportunity to live at home with my parents and this enabled me to save a large chunk of the money I made over the summer. I realize this may not be everyone’s experience, and that’s okay! Having an internship, no matter if you need to live somewhere else, is important in itself. But, if you are lucky enough to be able to live at home and eat your parents food, take advantage of this time. I was able to save a fairly large chunk of money from my internship, and about a year later, I can’t tell you how great if feels to be leaving college not completely broke. For me, this looked like packing a lunch instead of going out to eat every day. This also looked like bringing my own coffee or making coffee in the office instead of going to Starbucks in the morning. Its the small things that will add up.

I hope this article gives you a little more confidence and direction heading into your summer internships. I was very pleased with my experience and these are some guidelines I adhered to.

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Student Spotlight: Mechanical Engineering and Girl Power

230 (2)Junior Paige Foley might not fit the mold of your stereotypical engineer, but that’s ok. She can engineer her own.

As one of 13 girls out of 65 total Mechanical Engineers in her class, Paige has experienced first-hand the interesting challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field. I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with her to discuss her experiences so far as a Mechanical Engineer major at Grove City College.

What is your major?

Mechanical Engineering with a Robotics minor. Robotics is a new minor that the college just added, and I’m really excited to be able to take those classes!

Did you have any experience or education about engineering before coming to college?

I took two engineering classes during my last two years of high school. One was a co-ed, basic engineering class with very few girls, and the other was called Women in Engineering. The school felt the need to offer a separate course for girls interested in engineering because of the different learning and project styles seen in girls in comparison to boys. They found that women tended to ask questions before starting a project, while boys asked questions after something went wrong. I always thought this was an interesting comparison.

What have been your favorite engineering classes at Grove City College?

I’ve taken a lot of great classes that I’ve enjoyed at GCC, but Design Manufacturing (MECE 208) and 3D Modeling (MECE 210) have been my favorite classes by far. Last summer, I had an internship where I was able to directly apply what I had learned from these two classes, which was very exciting. They taught me how to use the industry software for modeling and design.

Have there been any other classes that have greatly influenced you?

One of the classes that stuck with me that related to my major was a required class called Science, Faith and Technology (SSFT 212). It was taught by one of my engineering professors, and we discussed how faith and science can coexist. It was really beneficial to talk about the ethics behind science, and how we as Christian are called to learn to be good stewards of the Earth, which involves understanding and learning about how it works. It helped me in terms of my major to understand that my future profession is important to Christian and worldly society because I am utilizing my skill set for the glory of God.

What do people say/think when you tell them that you are a Mechanical Engineering major?

Sometimes when I say I’m an engineer, people usually seem surprised because they think that it doesn’t seem to fit me, and question whether I’m qualified. I think that people react this way because engineering in general has a reputation for being very difficult, and there aren’t a lot of girls that decide to pursue it as their career. I’m proud of my major and the hard work that I’ve put into it, so I don’t mind talking about it to other people who have questions. I’m putting in the work now so that I can prove to everyone later that I have what it takes.

Given the minority of women to men in engineering, how would you describe your experiences with equality within your major?

Grove City had done a really great job at keeping the academics equal among genders. All the professors are great, and they are fair, helpful and qualified. Unfortunately, there is some social barriers that get in the way at times, but it never interferes with my education. And because girls are such a minority in the Engineering Department, we all have really bonded. We all have similar schedules and spend a lot of time together, studying and working on homework. Some of the girls have even created sorority-like letters that they wear to represent our small group of engineering women.

Have you had an internship? How has that enhanced your education?

This past summer, I was fortunate to have had an amazing internship experience at a railroad company called A. Stucki. As a mechanical engineering intern, I used 3D modeling software to make shafts, fit pieces, and model things like cast iron skillet. I was even able to reverse engineer using scanning arms and other tools and instruments in order to create certain pieces. I loved learning and applying what I’ve been learning in classes in a real world setting. What was really cool and encouraging was that I learned that the company that I interned for had just hired two GCC grads, and that the Vice President of Engineering was a GCC grad as well. It was great to see people outside of the college who knew that GCC comes with a great education. Even as a sophomore, I was prepared to apply what I learned in a real-world setting.

What advice would you like to share to someone interested in pursuing Engineering at Grove City College?

My advice to anyone looking to pursue Engineering at Grove City is to not be deterred from pursuing it because of the challenging classes and schedule, and the stereotype of the lack of a social life. People may feel like you may not be able to have a social life, but I can assure you it is possible. It all depends on how diligent you are with your time. You can be involved and have a social life. Also I would love for people to know that just because I’m an engineer, that doesn’t mean that I want to build a car. Engineering is so much more broad and diverse than designing and building motors and vehicles. I have had a great experience with the Grove City College Engineering Department and encourage those interested to look into it, talk to professors and students, and even sit in on a class if possible.

 

Listed below are some Grove City College resources to help you learn more about the Mechanical Engineering Department:

http://www.gcc.edu/academics/SEM/mechanicalengineering/Pages/B.S.-in-Mechanical-Engineering-.aspx

http://www.gcc.edu/academics/SEM/Pages/Hopeman%20School%20of%20Science,%20Engineering%20and%20Mathematics.aspx

http://www.gcc.edu/academics/SEM/mechanicalengineering/Pages/Department%20of%20Mechanical%20Engineering.aspx

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5 Signs You Belong in Communications

Choosing to be a Communications major was one of the best decisions that I have made in my life so far. Despite some wrong turns in the beginning of my college career, I was able to eventually come to find a career path that fits me, what I’m good at and what I want to do with my future. The Communications Department at Grove City College offers a close-knit, encouraging community of creative and hard-working individuals ready to make the world a better place. Many people find their way to Communications after struggling with other majors, just like I did, to find their rightful place among like-minded people. The possibilities are endless with Communications, and the skills that are acquired through its study can open many doors to help achieve all your goals and dreams. Not sure if Communications is the right path for you? Listed below is a short list of qualities that are common among Grove City College Communication majors:

1. You have a wide variety of interests and talents

Instead of just one thing that you are gifted in or find interesting, there are many! You are a well-rounded individual who likes the arts as well as politics, or reading and keeping up with sports. You find that you don’t “fit” perfectly into just one category. This can make it hard to pinpoint a good career path for you, but rest assured that Communications is broad enough to be able to highlight and provide opportunity for all your gifts and interests. After all, if you do what you love, you will surely love what you do.

2. You aren’t entirely sure what you want to do with your life

College is the best time to try new things to try and figure out what you like to do, and how you can turn that into a career. The best part about Communications for some people is that it offers so many different avenues of focus that the likelihood of finding something that fits you is very high. Grove City College has such a great Communications Department because they work hard to get to know you and your interests, and help you find compatible opportunities that help you figure out viable career options. Finding out what you’re meant to do is what your college journey is all about, but choosing Communication Studies is a great start in realizing your career potential.

3. You enjoy people and value relationships

Communication Studies is all about the why and how of interacting and connecting with people, which is essential to so many aspects of life. Communication majors understand the importance of studying and improving upon human connection in all its many forms, which is prevalent in the kinds of projects and works that they tend to be involved in. Collaborative work is valued. Relationships and the way people work together are interesting and deserve attention. In communication, there is a communicator, a message and a receiver. Within this simple model, there is so much to discover, create and study. If any of this is interesting to you, you may find that Communications is a study that could engage you and help you learn more about things that you find important.

4. You are interested in social media, current news and other kinds of entertainment

Social media and other platforms of entertainment have become staples of our society and one of the focuses of Communications is to study and master its features and capabilities. Finding the most effective means of creating valuable images, messages and other content is a priority. You recognize the importance of social media and its impact on commerce, news and media and want to be able to use those skills for a productive purpose. Grove City College does a great job at maintaining and innovating new ways to incorporate social media and other media-related experiences and opportunities to Communication majors that seek it. Students that are well-equipped with the skills and the passion for impacting the media with creative, influential and honest content are the type of people that can find a home within Communication Studies

5. You want a career that is creative, social and important

By this point, I hope to have convinced you that Communication Studies is a broad spectrum of talents and opportunities that can fit a wide range of people. Regardless of the direction that Communications takes you, you can be assured that it can offer you a viable and exciting career that seeks creativity and innovation, willingness to effective communicate and interact with others and the chance to make a difference with effective communicating. This is where your interests in art, photography, sports, theater, social media, writing, talking with people, or volunteering can transform into a meaningful and tangible career path. With Communications, you are giving yourself the platform to begin to make your dreams and goals a reality.

For more information about Communication Studies at Grove City, please check out the Communication Studies Department at Grove City College webpage.

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Alumni Insights: Electrical Engineering After College

Alumni picture

Graduating college is a huge honor and accomplishment that deserves recognition and celebration. Our alumni are some of our greatest resources for career advice, handling student life, and encouraging those still currently completing their undergraduate degree. Recent graduate of the class of 2016, Abigail Liff is an alumna of the Electrical Engineering program and was willing to share her experiences and advice about life after Grove City.

Experience at Grove City College

Abbi works as an electrical engineer for FirstEnergy in Ohio. While at Grove City College, Abbi enjoyed her time living in a small town similar to her hometown in Kent, OH. “I loved the people and the small school atmosphere,” she explains. Each of our engineering programs at Grove City complete a senior capstone project where students are put into team to conduct research and design something to be used in a practical setting. Being passionate about research, Abbi went beyond the classroom to get more hands-on experience in electrical engineering research through summer internships. She explained how she felt very prepared for life outside of college because of these internships that she held both in high school and during college summers.

Getting More Experience

Being in the field of engineering is no easy job, and it can be difficult to find where your interests lie in a broad field. Abbi explains, “Electrical engineering is very rewarding, but it is very difficult and requires a can-do attitude to make it all the way through the program.” She had the opportunity to study abroad in Nantes, France with the European Study Center program with other electrical and mechanical engineers. During this time, she worked with her senior capstone group to create a better food refrigeration system with the help of some French students who studied food engineering. Together they worked in labs and collaborated information to bring back to America to use to finish their senior capstone project. Being in different environments and research groups in and outside of our campus has provided wonderful experience in the field that has helped her get the job she has today.

Life After Grove City College

After obtaining her degree, Abbi began working at FirstEnergy in Ohio through an experience at the Grove City College Career Fair. She said, “The Career Fair helped me get my job because I met a FirstEnergy representative who was very interested in Grove City College students and knew about the engineering program at our school.” Making these connections during college have made all the difference in finding a career path that has worked out for her.

When it comes to deciding on a college major, there are many factors to consider in developing a career to build on for the next four years and beyond. One of the best pieces of advice Abbi gives is practicing perseverance. She advised, “If you want to get this degree, you have to go in to the program telling yourself ‘I will stick with this. I am going to get this degree.’ I told myself that at least once a week, and I got through it, but it’s definitely not for everyone. I saw a lot of people leave because they didn’t have the right attitude.” Always consider the hard work and dedication it takes to obtain a college degree.

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Using an Independent Study as a Resume Builder

            The hardest part about applying for a job is having to fill out the dreaded “experience” section. Whether you have a ton of past work experience or no past work experience, it is difficult to sum up your skills in a readable and practical way. One of the great opportunities offered at Grove City College is creating an independent study. An independent study is a great experience you can put on your resume. The study is similar to an internship where you design a project or complete a task that displays and highlights your skills within a semester. 

Independent Study While Abroad

France Group

             When I was a junior, I was able to be a part of the European Study Center program in Nantes, France. This program was unique because it offered courses taken directly through Grove City College instead of an outside university like most study abroad programs. I worked with professors from Grove City while in France in order to create a independent study that was focused around my major, communications. One of the best parts about having an independent study while in another country was the fact that I was able to communicate with students from all over the world. With the guidance of communication professors in America, I conducted a series of interviews of American and French students where I asked about how cultural differences affect communication styles. This was an amazing experience that I was very passionate about, and used to increase my experience in independent research and design.

How to Create an Independent Study

             Independent studies are not only for students who study abroad, but also for students on campus as well. In order to create an independent study, there are a few steps to complete to gain course credits. Any independent study must be approved by your academic advisor, as well as the chair of the department in which you study. Just like any other course, an independent has to have a syllabus and a timeline of course work that gets turned in and graded. This also includes necessary readings and outside projects or assignments relevant to the study. For my study, I interviewed French and American students to see how cultural differences affect social and educational perspectives. I consulted various books about cultural competence, communication styles, and body language, as well as kept a video blog where I would post about research and experiences. This blog, as well as interview assignments were turned in and evaluated throughout the semester.  Not every independent study is alike, and some can have different guidelines for grading upon discussion with your academic advisor. For some independent studies, a final project might be a research paper, a machine, or a public presentation. These can often times count as senior capstone projects, and can fill between 1 and 3 credit hours.

Independent Study as a Resume Builder

            Independent studies allow just that – independence in using the ideas you have as a student to create something meaningful and relevant to what you are studying. If you have an idea you are passionate about, an independent study is the perfect excuse to pursue it. Not only can you get credit for it, but you can research and gain experience to help in future job searches. Having research experience can be beneficial in a job looking for someone who can be reliable for deadlines, and work independently. Below is an example of one of the video blogs I created for my independent study of our experiences as abroad students in a different culture. This study is an experience I will always cherish.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dzfvys3d1vcsfn4/Blog%20Video%20%232-%20We%27re%20such%20tourists.mp4?dl=0