Chemical engineering students and alumni unite for new industry mentorship program

The Wayne State University College of Engineering invited 13 alumni and industry leaders to partner with chemical engineering students for a new Industry Mentor Program to give students a glimpse into the career prospects of chemical engineering. The program concluded in April with both mentors and mentees gathering for a luncheon featuring student and professional speakers.

"The Industry Mentor Program had a significant impact on students' understanding of the connection between academics and a career in chemical engineering," said Tracy Castle, academic advisor for the chemical engineering department.

The students worked with and even shadowed their mentors to get advice on future career paths. Student Gabriel Yurko believes that the program was one of the more helpful experiences she's had at Wayne State.

"It helped to put my classwork in perspective, it gave me a vision for what I want to do in the future and I was able to learn to get there," said Yurko. "I am so thankful that this program gave me the opportunity to learn from someone in chemical engineering and has been so successful."

The program was a joint effort between the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Office of Alumni Relations. It has the potential to be implemented across the university as an example for future mentorship programs.

"We would like to build on the success of this pilot program and expand it to benefit more students in the Department of Chemical Engineering and possibly students in other departments in the College of Engineering," said department chair Guangzhao Mao. "We welcome and appreciate our industry alumni to help us make this program more successful in the future."