Inaugural Friends of MEC Breakfast Social Brings Students and Industry Together
Mechanical Engineering students, industry partners, Advisory Board members, alumni,
faculty, and staff came together on Sept. 18th for the inaugural Friends of MEC Breakfast,
a morning of networking, professional development, and community.
P. Scott Carney, Professor and Chair of Mechanical Engineering, kicked off the event by welcoming attendees and introducing two new faculty members, Katie Skinner and Ryan Schilling. Carney also announced a new Mechanical Engineering co-op program, providing juniors and seniors with an opportunity to gain valuable industry experience while remaining on track to graduate within four years.
The new co-op Program offers students an extended opportunity to immerse themselves in the workplace, contribute to engineering projects, and build meaningful relationships with industry teams. As Carney explained, “A co-op is a long internship, but it's not a matter of degree, the experience is different in kind. Seven or eight months is time to become part of the team and make significant contributions. I'm excited to see what our excellent students bring to the companies that host our co-ops.”
The breakfast gave students an opportunity to engage directly with industry professionals and learn more about the field beyond the classroom. Conversations covered emerging technologies such as AI, internship and career preparation, in-demand skills, approaches to problem-solving, and opportunities for new Mechanical Engineering graduates. Industry partners also shared insights from their own careers, projects, and experiences in the workplace.
Industry participants included representatives from General Dynamics Electric Boat, Brookhaven National Laboratory, ASML, IPG Photonics, Natech Plastics Inc., VJ X-Ray LLC, CSM Engineering, Sartorius, and Ametek, along with members of the Mechanical Engineering Industry Advisory Board (IAB). Their participation helped connect students with professionals across a range of engineering industries and provided opportunities to learn about career paths, workplace expectations, and the skills needed to succeed.
Florence D. Hudson, Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Industrial Advisory Board
at Stony Brook University and Executive Director of the Northeast Big Data Innovation
Hub, shared her reflections on the event:
“I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Friends of MEC Networking Breakfast while I was on campus for the MEC IAB. It is always inspiring to chat with students about their goals, how they are enjoying SBU, why they came there and their aspirations for the future. The future is bright with SBU students leading the way!”
Chris Sherling, an SBU Mechanical Engineering alum who now works at ASML, also highlighted the value of bringing students and faculty together in an informal setting. “The event was a wonderful way to meet and connect with students. It was also really nice to see a lot of familiar members of the faculty and staff and meet new ones.”
At the breakfast’s juice bar, the tip jar took on a new meaning. Instead of cash,
industry partners filled the jar with career tips, practical insights, and words of
wisdom, creating a fun and memorable way to share advice with students.
For students, the event offered a chance to build professional relationships in a relaxed environment before meeting employers at a traditional career fair. Ashley Xu, a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, reflected on the importance of these opportunities:
"Events like this breakfast social break down the barrier that comes with a job fair. No longer are the people we see at the table just recruiters we're vying for the attention of, they're now people we've had a cup of coffee and a slice of quiche with. I hope that every student, old and new, will have the chance to participate in networking socials such as these. I cannot wait to see how these networking socials can grow from here!"
The event also provided a natural lead-in to the Engineering Job and Internship Fair, hosted later that day by the Stony Brook Career Center. Students had the opportunity to continue conversations with employers, explore internship and career opportunities, and put their networking skills into practice.
The inaugural Friends of MEC Breakfast Social highlighted the value of bringing students and industry together and underscored the department’s commitment to preparing Mechanical Engineering students for successful careers through meaningful professional connections, hands-on experiences, and opportunities to engage with the engineering community.