Aspiring engineers get career advice

With resumes in hand, hundreds of Engineering students clad in business suits piled into the Towne Building yesterday in search of summer internships and permanent employment positions. In its 17th year, the Engineering Career Awareness Day -- co-sponsored by the Career Planning and Placement Service and the Engineering Student Activities Council -- drew a record 89 companies to the University. Three of Towne's floors were put to use for the event, making it a bit difficult for students attending classes in the building to maneuver their way through the crowds. Engineering Dean Gregory Farrington estimated that more than half of the students in the School of Engineering and Applied Science attended the day-long event. Tables lined both sides of the hallways as company representatives showcased their organizations, providing students with everything from company-logo mousepads to safety whistles. The longest lines centered around some of the nation's larger, better known corporations, such as Microsoft, Merrill Lynch and J.P. Morgan. Harris Romanoff, an Engineering senior and ECAD student chairperson, noted, however, that not all students are interested in working for such large corporations. "I've talked to a few students and, if anything, they don't want to work in the large companies," he said. "They see the opportunity to make a name for themselves in the smaller corporations." Many of the company representatives at yesterday's event were Engineering alumni, returning to recruit students from their alma mater. Bill Pehlert, a representative from AT&T; who obtained both his master's and doctorate from Penn, said he has come back to the University many times to attract prospective employees. "We have successfully recruited and retained Penn graduates," Pehlert said. "And they tend to be exceptionally successful candidates and employees." Many prospective employers are particularly interested in Engineering graduates because of the broad curriculum they receive. "Our students are unique in that they emerge technologically as well as communicatively adept -- they are in great demand," Farrington said. "My only disappointment is that I don't have enough students -- we could place twice as many." Michael Collins, a representative from the Lockheed Martin Corporation echoed this sentiment. "The type of person coming out of Penn is ideally suited for our kinds of challenges," he said. Praised by students and recruiters alike, the career day also received accolades from CPPS Director Pat Rose. "I think we're having a great day -- employers are thrilled with the quality of the students," she said.