February 18, 2026

Boilermaker Circuit career fair connects Purdue ECE students with top employers

Held Feb. 4 on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus and Feb. 5 in Indianapolis, Boilermaker Circuit drew 10 corporate partners represented by about 50 recruiters. Organizers estimated that roughly 750 students engaged with employers throughout the two-day fair, exploring opportunities for internships, co-ops and full-time positions.
People are mingling at an event in the Bill and Shirley Rice Design Studio. The atmosphere is busy, with attendees holding folders and conversing.
Students in the Bill and Shirley Rice Design Studio lining up to talk to representatives from ECE's Corporate Partners

Boilermaker Circuit, a career fair organized by Purdue University’s Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Corporate Partners Office, recently connected hundreds of ECE students with industry employers.

Held Feb. 4 on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus and Feb. 5 in Indianapolis, the event drew 10 corporate partners represented by about 50 recruiters. Organizers estimated that roughly 750 students engaged with employers throughout the two-day fair, exploring opportunities for internships, co-ops and full-time positions.

The Bill and Shirley Rice Design Studio in the MSEE Building was busy throughout the day, with long lines forming at many booths and students engaged in one-on-one conversations with recruiters. Because the event was open exclusively to ECE students, discussions were more focused and closely aligned with industry needs.

Milind Kulkarni, Michael and Katherine Birck Head of ECE, welcomed students and corporate partners to the event.

“Industry partners play a critical role in preparing our students for what comes next,” said Milind Kulkarni, Michael and Katherine Birck Head of the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “Through initiatives like industry-sponsored senior design projects, we’re working to ensure our graduates are ready to contribute from day one.”

Participating companies benefit from direct access to Purdue ECE’s broad talent pool, particularly during a competitive hiring landscape, said Saurabh Bagchi, director of the ECE Corporate Partnerships Program.

“Our partners have a distinctive advantage in recruiting from a deep and diverse group of students,” Bagchi said. “We’re also creating new ways for partners to stay connected, including a LinkedIn group to share opportunities and highlight the success of our students and alumni.”

A man in glasses holds a microphone, speaking in a modern office with maroon walls and glass partitions. Another person listens nearby, creating a professional atmosphere.
ECE Head Milind Kulkarni welcoming the attendees at Boilermaker Circuit on Feb. 4

The next recruiting event hosted by the Corporate Partners Office will be the SPARK Challenge, scheduled for April 29 in Indianapolis and April 30–May 1 in West Lafayette.

Corporate partners participating in Boilermaker Circuit included:

·       Infineon

·       Eaton

·       KLA

·       Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

·       Onsemi

·       Marvell Technology

·       TSC

·       BorgWarner

·       Belden Inc.

·       NSWC Crane

Boilermaker Circuit was organized by the ECE Corporate Partners Office, led by Matthew Potrawski and Mary Ann Satterfield. The event was supported by staff members Kristin Malavenda, Addy Miller and Angela Rainwater, along with student employees Omar Attia, Sudhanva Deshpande and Sumedha Saravanakumar. ECE Ambassadors staffing the welcome desk included Venya Bhardwaj, Alyssa Chow, Jack Cooper, Sreya Etherajan, Ben Hanan, Anna Ho, Connor Lawson, John Linnane, Connor Powell, Zafeer Aaryan Reza, Andrew Song, Julia Spihlman, Sydney White, Joseph White and Gavin Zyonse.