Students and industry experts gathered in a professional yet laid-back setting at the Multicultural Engineering Program’s annual mixer Oct. 7, offering students the chance to sharpen their networking skills while highlighting the unique perspectives they bring to engineering.
In the span of four hours, over 100 students visited the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture Swanson Center of Effort Conference Hall for MEP’s biggest event of the year, also one of the first major career-building opportunities of the academic year.
“The industry representatives were really pleased with the conversations they had,” said Katie Jennings, assistant director and MEP coordinator, noting that the event has been a tradition for over 10 years.
MEP, a division of Engineering Student Services, focuses on creating equitable opportunities for historically underserved students in the College of Engineering. The program builds a dedicated support network to foster community and create pathways for academic success, serving students across all 13 engineering majors.
“We make it a priority to ensure that each major is represented by the industry members attending,” Jennings said.
Austin Chang, an industrial engineering senior, and his friend Gavin Isidro, a third-year aerospace engineering major, were eager to connect with the representatives from companies including Boeing, Texas Instruments, Chevron, Phillips 66, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and more.
“With the job market being so competitive right now, having this opportunity — especially as people of color — is incredibly valuable,” Chang said.
Isidro, who is actively searching for an internship, saw the mixer as a way to shake off his nerves ahead of upcoming career fairs and expand his network.
“I not only got to learn about potential career paths, but I also heard about the journeys the reps took to get where they are,” said Isidro, adding that he especially appreciated the input from Cal Poly alumni, now in industry, who were once in his shoes.
Niki Cavote, one of those alumni, told Chang and Isidro about her postgraduation path to the Pathways program at Northrop Grumman, a leading aerospace and defense company, where she now works as a cybersecurity analyst.
“Cal Poly played a huge role in getting me to where I am today,” said Cavote, who graduated in 2022 with a business degree, emphasizing information systems.
She has spent the past two years at the Redondo Beach site, where she heads to the sand for beach volleyball after her shifts. After playing for Cal Poly’s volleyball team, she now competes in Northrop Grumman’s league.
“I really scored with this job,” said Cavote, who was excited to return to her alma mater for her first MEP mixer with the company.
Lisa Kennedy, on the other hand, has been coming back to campus for more than a decade, regularly attending events like the MEP mixer, where she now connects with students as she oversees project managers at Texas Instruments, a leading semiconductor company.
“The MEP event gives students a more personal opportunity to talk with different companies in a relaxed setting. They don’t feel rushed, and both the students and employers get more out of the conversations,” she said.
Kennedy graduated with a degree in computer engineering in 1995, when she was one of fewer than 10 women in her class of 50. “I’ve been in situations where you’re not well-represented, and I know how that feels,” she said, relating to the importance of creating supportive spaces like the MEP mixer.
Tinh Nguyen, a third-year computer science major, gathered valuable insights from Kennedy and the company he had set his sights on during the mixer.
“It’s not just about the pay — it’s also the work-life balance,” said Nguyen, who hopes to land an internship next summer as he pursues a career in information technology. “I like the values at Texas Instruments, and I appreciate they make diversity a priority.”
Events like the MEP mixer have played a key role in helping students grow both personally and professionally, and Isabella Pelayo, a third-year civil engineering student, is one of those who has benefited. Last year, she participated in the MEP STAR Program, a yearlong academic and scholarship initiative that supports second-year MEP students.
“I was nervous when I first started attending events like this, but I’ve become more comfortable,” said Pelayo, who hopes to work in construction within civil engineering. “Now, I feel more prepared to have meaningful conversations with employers.”
To learn more about the Multicultural Engineering Program, click here.
By Emily Slater
