Job Corner with Ms. Whelton, PE

One of the best ways to find out about job opportunities and secure employment is by networking. Many people talk about how important networking is to finding opportunities. But you may be wondering, how do I go about networking? I’m not sure where to start or what “networking” really means. Per the Merriam-Webster dictionary, networking is “the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically: the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business”.

So who would be the group you would “network” with? Anyone - friends, family, friends of family members, professors, Purdue students, people you meet (at dinner, coffee shops, conferences i.e. anywhere), professionals at career fairs. The point of networking is to establish a relationship and common interest with someone. The best way to do this per Keith Ferrazzi in his book “Never Eat Alone” is to adopt a “giving mindset” when meeting someone. What does this mean? When you met a person, instead of automatically thinking about (and directly conversation toward) how to have the relationship benefit you, think about how to connect with and help the other person. And continue to help them. Relationships are a two way street. If you sincerely help others and want to get to know them, they will want to help you out in the future. You are working towards building a positive reputation and genuine connection with that person. Networks take time to build. In the future, your connections will be more likely to help you.

This may seem like your network is composed only of people you have a significant relationship with. You should also establish and maintain weak ties-people you don’t frequently see, but who you would be comfortable asking for help. Weak ties will probably be a significant part of your professional connections—you don’t have time to maintain deep relationships with everyone. You still need to keep “regular” contact with these people-and not by including them on a group email or text. Let them know how you’re doing/ask how they are doing once in a while. Maybe this is someone you see periodically at an event, it could be just once a year. Or perhaps you could wish them a happy birthday or congratulate them on their work anniversary and see how they are doing. Since this part of your network will be composed of quite a few diverse people, this is probably where you will find out the most about opportunities.

So now we come to your “ask”. Don’t be afraid to let people in your network know you are looking for an environmental internship or full time job, in a specific location/region (if you prefer) and see if they know of any positions or someone who may be able to help. Make sure your ask is specific, it makes it easier for the other person to process the request and give you helpful information. “I’m looking for a job” isn’t very specific and won’t give the other person enough information to be able to help you. And don’t forget to be polite when you ask. You never know who your acquaintances know, so ask!

Here is a link to the summary of the book “Never Eat Alone” that gives you great tips on topics to discuss when you first meet someone, how to approach someone/start a conversation at a conference, etc. - https://medium.com/karlbooklover/never-eat-alone-6a50a73e9d15

Learning how to network doesn’t just benefit you now, it will help you throughout your career and your life. The sooner you start, the better you will get at connecting to others and the stronger and larger your network will become over time.

Reminder: Civil and Construction Engineering Career Fair (Oct 15th in person) will be held at the CoRec from 9am to 3pm. This is the last big career fair of the fall so I highly suggest you go if you’re looking for a job. Details on the Simplicity app.

SEE Celebrating 20 Years

What began as an innovative vision in 2006 has grown into one of the nation's leading programs dedicated to sustainability and environmental engineering. On October 15th, we will honor the people, partnerships, and achievements that have shaped SEE's first 20 years and look ahead to the future. 

• 3:30 p.m. | Welcome & Opening
  Welcome remarks by John Sutherland

• ​3:40 p.m. | Lightning Talks
  Short, fast-paced vision talks from SEE students

• ​4:10 p.m. | Keynote Address by Joe DeCarolis
  5-minute introduction
  40-minute presentation
  Followed by Q&A

• ​5:05 p.m. | Poster Session & Networking Reception
  Student poster session
  Food and refreshments available
  Informal networking and community engagement

• ​6:30 p.m. | Event Concludes

SEE Travel Assistance Scholarship

Looking for a funding opportunity to assist with costs associated with your Study Abroad, Global Experience, Service-Learning Project, Conference, etc.?  Students seeking monetary assistance for travel costs associated with studying abroad, presenting research or other educational activities should have an initial discussion concerning the intended program with Tammi Thayer to determine if they are eligible.

Apply at https://engineering.purdue.edu/SEE/Engagement/Travel_Assistance_Request_Form

Applications for this round are due October 30 to support summer or fall term experiences.

Spain Study Abroad 2027: Water and Infrastructure Resilience

Interested in disaster management, critical infrastructure, public health, or global resilience?

Join Prof. Whelton in his study abroad to Barcelona, Spain from March 12 to March 21, 2027 and learn about how natural and man-made disasters are impacting public health and how professionals are working to support critical infrastructure.  Credit for EEE 49500 – 3 credits; counts as EEE Selective.  Don’t miss this chance to combine academics with international experience in Spain.

Water & Infrastructure Resilience: Public Health & Extreme Events in Spain

📅 Program Dates: March 13–21, 2027

What You'll Experience

• 🔥 Explore wildfire prevention and innovative forest management strategies with the Pau Costa Foundation

• 🚒 Visit wildland-urban interface areas and a local fire station

• 🎓 Participate in seminars with professors at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia

• 🏙️ Meet with local municipality professionals to learn about infrastructure, public health, and disaster management

• 🌳 Explore strategic sites where wildfire prevention techniques are being implemented

• 🏛️ Experience Barcelona's culture, including the Barcelona Cathedral and Picasso Museum

• 🍽️ Enjoy traditional Spanish welcome and farewell dinners

• 🌎 Gain a broader understanding of how communities around the world prepare for and respond to disasters

Spring 2027 - EEE47200: Community-Engaged Engineering Design

Those interested in this Spring 2027 course must email their resume and 1-2 paragraphs detailing their interest in the course and how it fits with their future career plans to Dr. Lindsey Payne (paynel@purdue.edu) no later than November 6; 5pm. Space is limited; sooner is better!  Be specific in your statement of interest. More information can be found on the flyer.

ENGR 10301 - Engineering Leadership Fundamentals

Seats are still available for the 2^nd 8-weeks session of ENGR 10301ELF! 10/21 - 12/19. Engineering Leadership Fundamentals (ELF) is a 1-credit course taught by students, for students.

Looking to stand out in internships, research, and future opportunities? Students looking to build practical leadership skills through real engineering case studies, communication, conflict management, and team development are encouraged to enroll in ELF! The course includes one in-person class and one asynchronous lesson each week over an 8-week period and is open to students in all grade levels.

Second 8-weeks: CRN 32853, Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m.

Email engr_leadership@purdue.edu with any questions.

Society of Environmental and Ecological Engineers (SEEE)

Looking for free food? How about professional guidance on a more personal scale? Do you even know your classmates? Join us every other Wednesday at 6 pm for free dinner paired with professional and social events.

Meeting Recap: Our last meeting was our Study Abroad Panel! Thank you to everyone who showed up and thank you to the people who served on our panel! 

Important Info

• $5 dues paid by cash or TooCool by Fall Break (10/9)
• Join the GroupMe: https://groupme.com/join_group/100096962/balecxlH
• Join Us in IM Sports here: https://forms.gle/oKr4TCfq2udchWVe9

Upcoming Events

• Sunday, Oct 18th at 12 pm: Rain Garden Maintenance
  • Join us for Rain Garden Maintenance! We will be weeding/cleaning up a rain garden from EEE 472 at St. Francis Early Learning Academy in Lafayette . Sign up by 10/16 at noon and we will coordinate rides! All necessary tools and gloves will be provided. Wear appropriate clothes, and bring water and a good attitude! Sign up here: https://forms.gle/JbMs6mVtRH9SjXax6
• Wednesday, Oct. 21st: Halloween Party
  • Spooky season is right around the corner! Join us to maximize Halloween Season and come in a clever disguise!

National Defense Career Fair

Interested in a career in National Defense? Check out the National Defense Career Fair on October 22, 2026 from 9 am - 4 pm in the Co-Rec. Questions can be directed to Drew Samis on the Career Fair Team (asamis@purdue.edu). See the attached flyer for more details.

INDOT Engineering Scholarship

The Indiana Department of Transportation is seeking applicants for its Engineering Scholarship Program, available for eligible undergraduate and graduate students in Indiana. Recipients receive financial assistance, as well as paid employment opportunities.

INDOT’s scholarship program offers $3,125 per semester or $2,083 per trimester for up to five years of post-secondary Civil Engineering education. Scholarship funds may be applied to educational expenses, fees, and books. Recipients will also have the opportunity to work at INDOT in full-time, paid positions during summer breaks and upon graduation.

Learn more about the INDOT Engineering Scholarship Program and the application process at indotscholarship.in.gov. Applications for the 2027-2028 school year must be emailed or postmarked by December 31, 2026.

SCAA Environmental Excellence Scholarship

Are you a student interested in shaping the future of emergency response? Apply to the Spill Control Association of America's Environmental Excellence Scholarship by November 6, 2026. The award amount is $1,000 and is targeted towards students studying oil spill response, disaster response and recovery, and emerging contaminants. See the attached flyer for more information.

Indiana Statehouse Spring 2027 Internships

The Statehouse employs undergraduates (sophomore and above), graduate students, and recent grads as interns in Indianapolis during the spring semester in these areas: Legislative, Constituent Services, Communications/Media Relations, Press Secretary, Information Technology, Policy, and Publications.

The spring 2027 semester internship is paid (yes, paid!) and a fantastic experience for students from all majors, backgrounds, and interests, and can be a great foundation for any career! Deadline for spring 2027 internship applications is October 31, 2026.

For internship descriptions, specific areas offered, and online applications, use these links or copy the path into a browser:

House Democrats           
https://www.indianahousedemocrats.org/intern
House Republicans        
https://www.indianahouserepublicans.com/house/internship
Senate Democrats          
https://indianasenatedemocrats.org/opportunities/internship-program/
Senate Republicans       
https://www.indianasenaterepublicans.com/intern-program

Additionally, see the attached flyer for more details.

PESC Pitch Competition Interest Form

Purdue Engineering Student Council (PESC) is hosting a pitch competition and would love to hear from founders and student startup ideas in the College of Engineering for those interested in competing for funding. They are currently gauging interest and checking availability for the event. If you’re interested in participating, please fill out the Google Form by October 10th! You can also reach out directly to li5322@purdue.edu with any questions or more details.

Interest form link: https://forms.gle/ALtrj3xQGkbLDotu8

Purdue Student Soybean Innovation Competition

Want to win $5,000, $10,000 or $20,000? Well, you can in the Purdue Student Soybean Innovation Competition. Teams are forming now! For additional information check out the web page at -  https://engineering.purdue.edu/ ABE/academics/competitions - students can enter as teams or individual and we'll help you join or form a team.

Registration closes November 1, 2026 - any questions, email mcreech@purdue.edu and join today, looks terrific on your resume!

VIP and EPICS Spring 2027 Pre-Registration Open

Pre-registration for VIP and EPICS is open to all undergraduates of any major now through October 26, 2026. 

VIP: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5w0lvFQuXRQaH3M

EPICS: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5z5FJsN8xVtwhTw

Fall Undergraduate Research EXPO

Fall Undergraduate Research EXPO applications are due October 14th. Abstracts can be submitted for the Fall Undergraduate Research Expo from all Purdue students to be presented as posters, research talks, and virtual presentations the week of November 16 in West Lafayette. The Expo celebrates undergraduate engagement in research, scholarship and creative endeavors. Faculty, staff, and graduate students are invited to serve as judges to evaluate presentations to provide feedback and help in making award selections.

EngGap: Graduate School Fair

The Purdue University Indianapolis invites all undergraduate students to attend EngGAP: Graduate School Fair, an evening dedicated to exploring graduate education in engineering and related fields. Representatives from 14 graduate programs at leading universities across the country will be on campus to meet with students. You can visit any table and talk directly with program representatives about: research areas, faculty, funding, assistantship opportunities, admissions requirements, the application process, and the graduate student experience. This event is open to students at every stage, whether you are actively planning to apply or just starting to think about graduate school.

🗓️ When: Wed, Oct 28 5:00pm - 7:00pm

📍 Where: Atrium, Science and Engineering Laboratory Building (EL), 350 N. Blackford St., Indianapolis

Registration: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_77KD3lg6fqAjN30

How to Get Undergraduate Research Experience in SEE

Interested in pursuing research with SEE faculty? Students are welcome to reach out to individual faculty that they feel best matches with their interests. Learn more and find instructions on how to approach your search at https://engineering.purdue.edu/EEE/Academics/CurrentStudents/UndergraduateResearchEEE

Engineering CARES Hub

The Community, Assistance and Resources for Engineering Students (CARES) Hub is open. The mission of the CARES Hub is to build Boilermaker engineers by developing awareness, well-being and community for students through outreach, direct access to mental health resources and community-building programs designed to equip students with the skills and mindset needed to be thriving students and thriving future engineers. Find more info on the CARES webpage.  CARES check in and chat for this fall semester is attached here.

Struggling to Make Friends?

Are you struggling to make friends or wish to improve your social skills?  Here is a social skills workshop resource through CAPS!

The program is a series of 3 workshops. The series of 3 is being offered 3 different times...next one starting October 15, and one in November.  Here is the registration link - https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Iw2nZMqRLo6vLo

Engineering Academic Support - Resource Webpage

Did you know the College of Engineering has a webpage dedicated to listing academic resources for classes, such as Supplemental Instruction, resource rooms, and how to find a free tutor for some key engineering classes? Free tutoring is available for some CCE and ME courses. Tutoring sessions are scheduled through BoilerConnect, choose Polytech Engineering Tutoring appointment type to schedule. Visit https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/InfoFor/CurrentStudents/index_html to see what else is available to you to help.

CCE Course Peer Tutoring

Need some extra tutoring for CCE 211, CCE 297, CCE 270, CCE 298, or CCE 340? Use BoilerConnect to sign up for individual peer tutoring sessions or attend a drop-in session. These options are available to any student enrolled in the course. See the attached flyer for more information.

Engineering Success Center

Free Tutoring at the Engineering Success Center!  Let our ESC Peer Tutors help you prepare for your upcoming exams! Visit our website (https://engineering.purdue.edu/StudentSuccess/engineering-success-center) to view the full tutor schedule and bookings page.  You may walk in or schedule your tutor session in advance.  The Engineering Success Center (ESC) is an official student support resource for the College of Engineering, and is a transformative space where engineering students are empowered to take ownership of their educational journey. At its core, the ESC seeks to bridge the knowledge gap between faculty learning expectations and student performance by fostering a culture of learning and collaboration through peer-to-peer engagement, academic networking and meaningful faculty-student interactions.

Engineering Success Center accepting applications for Tutors - The ESC is now accepting applications for tutors to join our team for the Fall 2026 semester. Students must have successfully passed the course(s) for which they will tutor with a grade of B or better and have a minimum GPA of 3.2. This is a paid position with a tutor training requirement and a minimum commitment of 6 hours per week of active tutoring. Further details are outlined within the application.

Additional Information: We are specifically looking for tutors who can tutor FYE courses and at least one additional 200- and 300–level engineering major course listed in the tutor application for a minimum of two courses (max. three courses).

Click here to apply: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eEeZ3ikIwfJydn0

Academic Success Center (ASC)

The ASC offers a collection of services and programs designed to help students be successful in the classroom. Be proactive and review available resources now. Don’t wait till things get difficult to manage.  See ASC’s offerings at https://www.purdue.edu/asc/. 

Programs and Services:

1. Accountability Groups – We are offering 14 Accountability Groups this semester. Students can view group times and join here. These groups provide students with consistent, dedicated study time, peer connection, and support, and academic skill development. Groups start Week 3 of the semester.
2. Peer Success Coaching - Our Peer Success Coach request form is open for the fall semester. Our Peer Success Coaches serve as a point person for students as they navigate life at Purdue. Coaches function as guides, listeners, and motivational partners. If you have a student who could benefit from this program, encourage them to attend PSC Drop-in Hours or submit a request form here.
3. Study Skills Consultations - We will continue to offer Study Skills Consultations for undergraduate students. These are individual meetings (in-person or virtual) with a professional staff member to discuss academic skills and strategies related to time management, studying, exam prep, etc. Students can schedule an appointment using BoilerConnect, and you can refer students to consultations by creating an Alert in BoilerConnect.
4. Supplemental Instruction - The Supplemental Instruction (SI) session and office hour schedule is live on our website. Sessions take place across a variety of times and locations. Students enrolled in a SI linked course will also have a course titled Fall 2026 Supplemental Instruction on their Brightspace. This course will indicate session times, locations, leaders, and any changes made throughout the semester. We encourage students to attend early and often!
5. Workshops - In addition to the workshops listed above, we’ll be hosting a variety of interactive, 50-minute workshops throughout the semester. See the full workshop schedule and registration links here. Campus partners, instructors, and organizations are also able to request a workshop here.

QUESTIONS? For more specific information about each service, be sure to check out their homepages, or Email academicsuccess@purdue.edu, call 765-494-4700, or visit Wiley C215.

Professional Licensure & FE Exam: What is it? When to take it? How to prepare?

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is typically the first step in the process leading to the P.E. license. It is designed for students close to finishing their engineering degree or recent graduates. The FE is a computer-based exam that is administered year-round at NCEES (National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying) approved Pearson VUE test centers. FYI – Purdue has an approved test site.  The FE contains 110 multiple-choice questions. The exam appointment time is 6 hours long, which includes a nondisclosure agreement, tutorial (8 minutes), the exam (5 hours and 20 minutes), a scheduled break (25 minutes), and a brief survey.

What is professional licensure all about and why is it important?  Learn more at https://www.nspe.org/sites/default/files/resources/pdfs/GR/2017handouts/2017%20-%20What%20is%20a%20PE%20document.pdf

The SEE website has an information and resource page - click here. This page highlights NCEES, the Environmental Exam, links to various sites to register for the FE, what study sessions are offered on campus (not all apply to EEE, though), how to purchase study guides, and other resources to consider.

SEE FE Exam Reimbursement Program for EEE Seniors

The SEE FE Exam Reimbursement Program is meant to encourage and support EEE students to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam during their time at Purdue. It offers 100% reimbursement with a passing score and 50% reimbursement for a failing score on the FE. Once the student takes the FE, they are to provide proof of their test date and score along with an itemized receipt to Dr. Robinson. The deadline for a reimbursement request is the last day of the month in which the student graduates. Only one reimbursement per student will be allowed.

FE Environmental Engineering Review Manual

The SEE Undergraduate office has this manual available for check out - all 754 pages! The manual includes sample questions for each test section of the exam, and step by step solutions are provided. Seniors are welcome to this manual for loan for a 72hr period to review and study. See Tammi Thayer to check out the manual.

Civics Literacy Requirement 

Purdue University has a civics literacy graduation requirement for all undergraduates.  If you have not completed the requirements yet, then now may be a good time to get started. To see details and various resources click here. Questions may be directed to CivicsLiteracy@purdue.edu.

Did you miss a previous newsletter? Click here.