By Amelia Brown
It was only yesterday we had our student identification picture taken and handed the keys to our freshman dormitory. You barely knew anybody, but you were excited about this new adventure in your life. When I first arrived at Western New England University, I knew that this community was going to be my home away from home. People always tell us that college is going to be the best years of our lives. However, all good things must come to an end, and we must think about what comes next.
As the end of the Fall semester creeps up on us, the Senior class has to start considering what their next step is going to be. Students plan to attend grad school, others will select a specialty school, and some will start their first job right out of college. We seek advice from our peers, faculty and staff, and our advisors. However, I found it more important to learn from former students’ experiences, whether it is career-focused or taking advantage of the courses that Western New England University offers.
I had the opportunity to interview a recent graduate, Luciano “Luc” Crimi, to ask him about his college experience and his plans for the future. Crimi graduated in the class of 2023 from the College of Engineering. Born and raised in New Paltz, New York, Crimi was immersed in many mathematics and trade school programs in high school. Being an engineer was always the career he wanted to pursue, so it was no question that he chose Western New England University to get his degree. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and is working for the Naval Nuclear Laboratory (Bettis). Unfortunately, Crimi cannot disclose what exactly he will be working on for the company. We do know that he is a project manager working on nuclear systems for submarines and aircraft carriers.
When asked about the hardest part about transitioning from college to a full-time job, Crimi stated, “There is more leniency and room for forgiveness in college. In the real work world, there are deadlines that have to be met, and there is no room for error. As a civilian engineer for the federal government, there are also lives on the line if certain machinery is not properly manufactured.” In college, we are here to learn and make mistakes. There will be times when you have a professor who will grant extensions and rewrites to make up grades. College prepares you to learn from those mistakes, improve on them, and translate them into the workplace.
One resource many students do not take advantage of is the Career Center and Handshake. Our university’s career counselors are hired to assist us one-on-one and guide us through the internship and career process. Crimi said, “I went to the university’s career center and job fairs almost every semester. I met my current employer and secured my past internship at the fair. My advisors prepared me with drafting the perfect resume and practicing for job interviews.” With the services the Career Center provided, Crimi became a prime candidate for all the job positions he applied for, including his current job as a Mechanical Engineer intern at Charter Next Generation (CNG), ME at Belcan, and ME at RW Gate Company.
Although the Career Center provides us with all the resources we could possibly need to acquire our dream job, it is our courses that teach us all the information we will need for the career we are pursuing. “Certain engineering courses offered real-world applications, which were very beneficial in my line of work,” Crimi said. Many professors at Western New England are responsible for teaching Crimi the information he uses every day in the workplace. Courses such as Flights, Circuits, and Thermodynamics challenged and shaped him into the Engineer he is today. “What kept me the most interested in pursuing my major were the professors who were so passionate about the materials they were teaching. That is what made such a huge difference for me,” quoted Crimi.
To all readers, I hope you learn from this article. Take advantage of the resources Western New England University has provided you. Meet with your career advisor and make sure to attend a Career Fair. And most importantly, enjoy the years you have at Western New England University. Learn from your professors and the knowledge they will bestow upon you, whether it is educational or some everyday wisdom. During my almost four years here at Western New England University, I have personally learned so much from the people the university has acquired over the years. Go to all the games and events you can go to. Join the clubs that interest you. Eat all the cinnamon rolls you can on Wednesdays. Although we are a small community, the people you meet during your four-plus years here will forever be with you.
