Students enter college with hopes of transitioning into a secure career, but many find themselves unemployed after graduation. The Herff College of Engineering Alumni Chapter hopes to alleviate that problem by informing students in the engineering community about internships and employment.
The Chapter informs undergraduate students about networking with people in the engineering field and presents a vast array of opportunities from the University of Memphis, Shelby County and Memphis.
Assisting students for more than 25 years, The Alumni Chapter acts as a catalyst between themselves and the Herff College of Engineering, local businesses and Shelby County. The group is a non-profit with members who volunteer to help engineering students who are about to graduate.
The organization offers these students one year of free membership to the Alumni Chapter as they assist them with opportunities to network and build vital skills.
Jason Pendergrass, an electrical engineer and president of the chapter, said the organization is not only beneficial for students but for the University of Memphis as a whole.
“The more graduates from Herff [that are successful], the more successful the University of Memphis will be,” Pendergrass said.
Pendergrass considers the chapter to be a snowball effect for students that leads to the success of the University and ultimately the growth of the city of Memphis. Their goal is to help engineering students on the verge of graduation know their options and transition them into a professional career.
The chapter also hosts an awards dinner every year where a silent auction is held to benefit scholarships for books. Once a student is in the chapter, they will be able to attend professional development seminars, low cost luncheons and Tiger watch parties.
Jasmine Sanders, a junior engineering major, recently learned about the Herff College of Engineering Alumni Chapter. While she is nervous about what the future holds after graduation, she said she is benefitting from the assistance.
“It seems like an organization people should be jumping all over,” Sanders said. “Knowing that these people are doing this strictly because they care about other students is a plus.”
The Herff College of Engineering Alumni Chapter plans to have student mixers for student engineers to network with future employers in the future.
For more information about the Herff College of Engineering Alumni Chapter, students can visit http://memphis.edu/alumni/engineering/.
