Miami University students took an immersive trip to Cincinnati this past fall break from October 12th-14th. The trip had a variety of activities that involved both professional development and having fun that involved both undergraduate and graduate students. 

The students were able to receive exclusive inside looks into some of the top employers in Cincinnati, including Kroger, P&G, and 84.51°. Eddie Thant, a first year Mechanical Engineering student, stated that “the trip was very enlightening for me in the sense that it gave me a good introduction to what a career in a corporate job in the US would look like. Prior to the trip, I had a very vague idea of what a job/career would look like.” 

The trip was not only informative, but motivational. Gowtham Raj Veeraswamy Premkumar, a graduate student in the ECE department said “the visit to the headquarters of various companies gives me great motivation to work hard and get a good job in those places.” The trip gave students the opportunity to network with top employers on these excursions. 

The students were also able to network with Miami University alumni throughout the weekend. “They also provided us with great tips and things we can do during our undergraduate years to achieve success in the future,” said Mhd Alali, a first year Biomedical Engineering major. 

These opportunities provided guidance and motivation to both the undergraduate and graduate students, while also giving the students an opportunity to talk to each other in a laid-back, non-academic setting. Mhd Alali stated that “one great thing about this program is the amount of amazing activities we did other than academic things.” The students visited the Cincinnati museum and went on a nighttime dinner cruise. Eddie Thant stated that “the boat ride in itself was great but what was better was the people I got to talk to. I was able to bond with graduate students and learn more about what grad school looked like” 

Overall the trip was helpful and informative, but also fun. When asked if they would recommend the experience to other CEC students, Lisha Maharjan, a graduate student studying computer science, stated that they “would recommend this experience to other CEC students because it is a great opportunity to learn about job opportunities in various domains of the industry. We also get a chance to network with the people in the industry and learn from their experiences. And, undoubtedly it was a fun trip overall.” Karim Sammouri, a computer science graduate student also stated that he would “definitely recommend this experience to any CEC students looking for a job. It’s a valuable opportunity to learn from and network with top employers. In the end, the experience is what you make it.”