Josh Beres - Bioengineering & IPDE Certificate
Year in School: Senior (4th)
Co-op Employer(s): Arthrex Inc.
How do you feel you have benefited from your experiential learning opportunity? Co-ops and internships are one of the best ways to gain real-world experience during college. They help you discover what you don’t want to do for the rest of your career, and hopefully what you do want to do. Through my co-ops, I realized that I want to begin my career in product development, where I can prototype, test, and help bring new ideas to life. Working on real products with real impact has strengthened my critical thinking and engineering skills. I also learned the importance of working on a team, understanding what others expect from you, and finding ways to make a meaningful contribution. One of the most important things I have done as a co-op is to learn as much as you can from the people around you. Your managers and coworkers have years of experience, and asking them questions is a great way to learn.
What is your biggest takeaway from your rotations? My biggest takeaway has been seeing how differently companies operate and realizing what type of work environment I want to be part of. Experiencing multiple co-ops also helped me narrow down the direction I want to take my engineering career after graduation. There are a wide range of career paths, and spending four to six months in a role is a great investment in figuring out which type of work you want to be a part of.
What advice would you give to other students? Co-ops and internships are extremely competitive, so don’t just throw out hundreds of resumes blindly. Be intentional and show genuine interest in the company. Take the time to connect with employees, alumni, or recruiters through email or LinkedIn, ask thoughtful questions, and build relationships before you apply. Dig deep to find those contacts (sometimes it’s impossible) because the connection makes all the difference in getting an interview. During the interview, be yourself and let your passion for engineering show. Also, ask to be involved in meaningful projects when you inevitably get bored. It’s a great way to challenge yourself, make use of your time, and it’s a good look if you want to be rehired post graduation.
Madison Salvo - Chemical Engineering
Year in School: Fifth Year, December 2026
Co-op Employer(s): United States Steel Corporation
How do you feel you have benefited from your experiential learning opportunity? I have benefited from the co-op program in numerous ways; however, the greatest benefit has been the significant personal and professional growth I experienced throughout my rotations. Working in different environments each semester allowed me to develop strong communication skills by interacting with a wide range of audiences, including coworkers, managers, and contractors. These experiences strengthened my ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams, which enhanced my teamwork and leadership skills in the workplace and in the classroom.
What is your biggest takeaway from your rotations? My biggest takeaway from my co-op rotations was applying in-classroom learning to industrial processes, bridging the gap between theory and practice. It was fascinating to see the similarities and differences between classroom content and the problems directly related to industry. This concept was a huge learning curve for me, but it ultimately shaped me into becoming a better engineer.
What advice would you give to other students? My advice that I would give to other students that are taking advantage of the co-op program is to come into each rotation with an open mind. The first rotation can be overwhelming, but as you continue through the program, you become more comfortable asking questions and begin to form relationships with your colleagues. Forming these relationships allows you to open up to your coworkers and express your wants and needs as you finish your rotations.
Holden Guibao - Material Science & Engineering
Year in School: 5th
Co-op Employer(s): Stratus Materials
How do you feel you have benefited from your experiential learning opportunity?
This opportunity benefited me greatly in developing my skills related to my degree. A lot of my past jobs involved me using my engineering skillset but not necessarily my degree. Working at Stratus, I have been able to relate and expand upon the content I have learned from my classes which has been monumental to my professional development.
What is your biggest takeaway from your rotations?
My biggest takeaway would be the exposure I’ve had to the area of interest that led me to choosing MSE: energy materials. My prior work experience has definitely shaped my work ethic and skills so to finally break into that area and develop my skills further has been truly monumental.
What advice would you give to other students?
Don’t be afraid of a project because of the challenge level. Coming into this, I did not have the most direct work experience but my ability to apply myself and ask questions really allowed me to excel in my co-op, learn new skills and rise above obstacles.
Andreas Forand - Industrial Engineering
Year in School: Senior
Co-op Employer(s): FedEx
How do you feel you have benefited from your experiential learning opportunity?
This experience reinforced my undergraduate education by allowing me to solve real problems for a company. Compared to a 3-month internship, the co-op gave me a total of 12 months to contribute more thoroughly to projects and to familiarize myself with the operations of a company. I gained confidence and the ability to immediately make an impact in a full-time position.
What is your biggest takeaway from your rotations?
My biggest takeaway is experiencing the versatility of an Industrial Engineering undergraduate education. Coming into my co-op, I was familiar with manufacturing, supply chain, statistics, and data analysis; factors in nearly every company's route to making money. During my experience, I saw real examples of how these factors affect a company, thus strengthening the connection between my education and a career.
What advice would you give to other students?
You must ask questions to professors, older students, advisors, and university sources such as the office of Experiential Learning and Professional Engagement (ELPE). The path to landing a career in something you love is far too complex to try and figure out by yourself. And although it may be tempting, avoid asking your favorite Gen AI Chatbot for career advice- ask a real person! They're the ones with first-hand experience and who want what is best for you!