45^th Society of Engineering Science Technical Meeting

Call for Abstracts
ends 6/02/2008

Overview

The Extern Program typically consists of a two to three-day visit with an industrial firm during the winter break. Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors in either the engineering mechanics or mechanical engineering curricula are invited to participate.

The process starts by inviting companies to participate in the extern program. A MechSE Alumni Board member then verifies a company's participation in the program. Details on the company host, location, types of extern projects, number of possible externs, company information/brochures/web sites, and possible company reimbursements are obtained. This information is faxed to the UIUC coordinator in order to compile a list of participating companies, contact information, and pertinent details.

The coordinator contacts students who are eligible in early November. The message describes the program and gives the students information about the program. The students who reply affirmatively provide their resume to the coordinator. Students are then sent a list of participating companies, web sites (when available) where the students can find more background material, and any available information about expenses.

A lottery is held the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. The lottery process allows the students to select a company that they wish to visit. After selection of the company, the students are requested to call the contact person; arrange for a mutually agreeable time to visit; and coordinate any necessary arrangements to be made for the visit. These calls are typically completed within a week.

After the lottery, the companies are sent a follow-up letter giving them the name(s) of the student(s) who will be contacting them in the next few days to arrange their visit. Along with this letter, the resumes of the students matched to the company are provided.

For more information regarding the Extern Program please contact the MechSE Undergraduate Programs Office at 217-333-0366.

Type of Visit

A two or three-day format is highly recommended. The visit often starts with a short orientation and tour of the facility. The student is assigned to an engineer (often a University of Illinois ME or TAM graduate) who acquaints the student with their project. It also works well to have the student rotate among several engineers during the visit to get a much broader overview of the company. If possible, the student might be given a small, short term project to complete.

Reimbursement

In the past, some companies have helped with travel, lodging, and/or meal expenses, and some have even provided a modest stipend upon completion of the extern visit. Travel is perhaps the most difficult for the majority of students to arrange. Reimbursements could be in the following forms: hotel reimbursement or direct billing, meals, travel expenses (car rental, gasoline, auto mileage reimbursement, air line tickets), stipend, and/or salary.

Host companies

Host companies that have participated in the past include the following:

• Advanced Mechanical Systems
• BP Naperville Complex
• Caterpillar, Inc.
• Deere and Company
• Exxon Mobil Corp.
• Ford Motor Co.
• Grumman Butkus Associates
• Henneman, Raufeisen, & Associates, Inc.

• Innoventor Engineering, Inc.
• Jefferson Lab
• Kimberly Clark
• Lucent Technologies, Inc.
• Motorola, Inc.
• Packer Engineering
• Rosenthal Manufacturing, Inc.
• S&C Electric Co.
• Sargent and Lundy, LLC

Participant Comments

After the visits, the participating students and companies are asked to provide feedback. Comments from previous years from both host companies and students include:

Host Comments

• "I think all of the students that have been here as part of the U of I Extern Program have gained some ideas about working in mechanical engineering and possibly made a decision as far as a career path . . . I plan to still be working here next year and I am quite sure (my company) will again gladly participate in the Extern Program"
• "(The Extern) was very professional and a pleasure to show around."
• "Overall I thought the program was a good idea, and could be a valuable experience for students."
• "We are very pleased with the visit and would be willing to host a student again next year."

Student Comments

• "I would definitely recommend the Extern Program to a friend. It was a really fun and interesting day, but it was also a great way to expose yourself to corporate engineering and make a few contacts along the way. My host and the others did a great job making me feel welcome and showing me around."
• "The Extern Program is great way for an engineer to see what they could become in the future. It’s a great way to see whether something may fit with yourself or not. I learned from this experience that working in a factory is not for me. However, someone may participate in this program and realize that working in a factory suits them very well. If anything the program gives a person a real good look at what the future holds and will help them look at what they need to focus on now in order to get there. This was a very valuable experience.” • “I would recommend the Extern Program to a friend. It served as a resource in my search for a career, as well as a look into the life of a typical engineer. "
• "I would recommend this program merely based on the fact that it was fun to see people working through tangible engineering problems rather than solving a problem in a book. I also learned a lot about the everyday life of an engineer. Overall, it was a great experience."
• "The company did an exceptional job of showcasing the various divisions of the corporation so that I could see how it all came together. One of the most valuable aspects of the experience was that I was actually able to experience hands-on what I had previously only been able to read about. The application of the material only further sparked my interest into the dynamics of mechanical engineering. Again, I would like to sincerely thank you for your valuable time and consideration during the entire externship visit. The experience truly opened my eyes to the career field I have chosen, and as a senior, I am now more eagerly looking forward to graduation. I would greatly recommend this experience to every engineering student."