Honors Co-Op gains momentum

Bruno Osorno
Electrical & Computer Engineering

Working hard and exceling at their studies has always helped propel students down the path to success, but the college’s Honors Co-Op program adds a powerful incentive to get good grades: a chance at a paid internship and a shot at a full-time job after graduation.

The Honors Co-Op matches high-achieving CECS students with opportunities at local companies. To qualify, undergraduate students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and graduate students a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Those who are selected gain valuable real-world experience, and the companies get to “try before they hire” a young engineer or computer scientist to fill an opening.

For several years, the economy took its toll on the program, shrinking the number of available positions from a high of 28 to just four last year. But Bruno Osorno, the electrical and computer engineering professor who coordinates the program, and Dean Ramesh have continued to cultivate relationships with industry, and now that the economy is improving, companies are lining up to participate in the Honors Co-Op again.

“These companies see value in joining the program,” Osorno says. “We have maintained personal contacts and relationships, and even though there are economic issues, they still support the program because they know it provides a lot of value for them. If they are looking for an engineer, it would cost them $10,000 or more to recruit one. This way they get to test a candidate before they hire and can make an offer or not.”

This year, 14 fortunate students will take part in Honors Co-Op at such companies as Amgen, Northrop Grumman, Crown Peak, Medtronic, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and Hanson Research, among others. With the exception of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (see p.19) which is following a shorter timeline, students will have a full year’s experience, working full time during the summer and part time during the academic year. At the end of the internship, they will have an excellent chance at a full-time position. Nearly 90% typically get hired, Osorno says, and the other 10% get offers from other companies.