HofstraScienceComputerStudents Visit West Coast Tech Giants

A group of students from the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science spent a week in northern California visiting top-tier tech companies and networking with industry professionals as part of the Hofstra in Silicon Valley program.

The students spent time at Google, Oracle, CrowdStrike, Sony Interactive, VMware, and Plug and Play, an experience that can help them hone their career aspirations.

“There is no substitute for the realworld experience of visiting these companies,” said Dr. Sina Rabbany, dean of the DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science, who traveled with the students. “You get a real feel for a place when you’ve been on a tour, can observe the employees, and ask direct questions. Students can decide if they picture themselves in that environment, which will help guide their career path.”

Mohtasim Billah, a junior from Queens, New York, who is studying cybersecurity, echoed the sentiment. “This helped me decide what I wanted to be and which company I would love to work for,” he said. “I didn’t expect it to be this great!”

Professor Jianchen Shan, who coordinated and chaperoned the trip, met with professionals from various areas of each company, and provided a broader understanding of the opportunities each industry offers.

“Besides the engineering and research teams, we also met people from the business side of those companies, which exposes our students to more potential career paths,” Professor Shan said. “I learned that entrepreneurship should be emphasized in our University, and students should be encouraged to create their own startups in the computing industry.”

In addition to the company meetings, the group also visited the Computer History Museum, Stanford University, and the Golden Gate Bridge, among other sites. The relationship building seemed to be the most impactful part of the trip to many students.

“My biggest takeaway was all the different connections I made, from both the companies as well as between the different students I met on the trip,” said Gayathri Suresh, a sophomore computer science major from New Hyde Park, New York. “I enjoyed getting closer to my classmates and professors, and liked getting a head start into the

“You get a real feel for a place when you’ve been on a tour, can observe the employees, and ask direct questions. Students can decide if they picture themselves in that environment, which will help guide their career path.”

— Dr. Sina Rabbany