Alumni Volunteers: Have an impact on our students

Alumni Volunteers/Student Impact

In the last issue of the Case Alumnus magazine, and via several other avenues, we introduced the Alumni Career Network mentoring program, powered by Wisr, a networking platform developed by alumnus John Knific ’09 and used across campus. Since that time, some 400 engineering, mathematics and applied science alumni signed up and are available for students to reach out to for a virtual mentoring session.

We asked two of those alumni volunteers to share some about their experience using the system to connect with a student. Kyle Napierkowski ’09, MS ’09 heard about the program through the Weatherhead School of Management newsletter. He said two students reached out to him within a couple weeks of signing up and feels he had a meaningful connection with them.

“I think I was able to provide some career guidance in a field relative to one of the student’s interests in data science,” Napierkowski said.

Emma DeWitt Cotter ’14 is a recent graduate of the mechanical engineering program. She signed up after receiving an email about the program. Her motivation for volunteering her time to be a virtual mentor stems from her own experience as a student.

“When I was applying to Ph.D. programs, I didn’t know any other students who had already been through the process. I definitely would have made use of a system like the Alumni Career Network to reach out to alumni who had taken that path,” DeWitt Cotter said. “I talked with the student about the process of applying to grad school and how to contact professors, as well as specific research applications in my field that were interesting to him.”

DeWitt Cotter acknowledged that the system is quite easy and straightforward to use. To other alumni, she said it is not obtrusive or overwhelming – she has had only the one student reach out thus far – and encouraged alumni to sign up.

“You can always turn down a request for a meeting if it is not convenient. No doubt you have gained some valuable insight in your post-graduate career that current students could benefit from,” she said.

To sign up, visit https://case.wisr.io/login/ A panel of alumni volunteers gave up an evening during February to spend with students in the professional development lab offered at Case School of Engineering. Each described their background and career path, as well as how their Case education had an impact on their career. Students were able to ask questions like, “What has been your greatest reward or success?” and “What inspires you to be your best?”

A special “thank you” to all of our alumni panelists! If you would like to take part in a future panel or other volunteer effort that puts you in front of students, contact Kellie Mayle, alumni relations director at the Case Alumni Association. She can be reached at kellie.mayle@casealum.org or 216-368-0635.

Kevin Bracy ’93, MS ’94 Director, Centric Consulting

Michael Diamant ’68

Attorney, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP

Olivia Vick ’14

Systems Engineer, Phosphors at Current, powered by GE

Lisa Ward ’96, MSE ’00

PFS Business Leader, General Electric