The College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) kicked off the 2024 fall semester with the Student Leadership Conference. The conference allowed students to connect with peers, learn tools and resources for professional development, and grow as student leaders.

Coordinated by the ECS Office of Student Success and Career Services, students representing student organizations, Academic Excellence Workshops (AEW), and those looking to hone their leadership skills and feel better prepared for their career development participated in the three-day conference.  Sessions were facilitated by representatives from Micron and SRC Inc., in addition to the success and career services team.  Alumni from SRC Inc. and Barton & Loguidice also participated.   

“We had different speakers from Micron narrating about their professional experiences, what leadership meant to them, and how their perception of leadership changed over the course of their career,” says aerospace engineering student Fatimata Gory ‘26.  

“I believe the conference was a great way to reinforce what resources are available to students here at ECS, while also giving us clear great examples of how to behave professionally in different environments,” says civil engineering student Esau Merino ‘25.  

“The leadership conference was an amazing opportunity to practice professional development with the employers in attendance and it was great getting to workshop some new skills with my peers,” says chemical engineering student Isabella Perkins ‘25. 

The conference also had mentorship training for student leaders and opportunities for students to socialize.  

“A great leader leads by example but also ensures that whoever they lead can step into the darkness with them and shine just as bright or even brighter alongside them. Thanks to the student leadership conference, I know what type of leader I am, and how I want to help those who I lead to shine even brighter than me,” says electrical engineering student Luis Santin ‘24 G’25.  

“As a student who went in without connections to AEW or a school organization, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was delightfully surprised with so many opportunities. Networking with peers whose faces I recognized but didn’t know by name, as well as connecting with various companies, was particularly rewarding,” says environmental engineering student Rylee Smith ‘26.  

“I went to the conference as a leader for the Information Security Club and CuseHacks. There were a lot of knowledge gaps that I needed to learn leading a club and encouraging student engagement. The conference helped me feel confident and more comfortable to lead my clubs this year,” says computer science student Daniella Lat ‘27. 

The Student Leadership Conference was made possible in part through the generous support of the ECS Employer Partners, Micron, Novelis, and SRC Inc.