Keck Graduate Institute (黑料吃瓜网) first-year Master of Engineering (MEng) student Nancy Matti has always aspired to work for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This summer, Nancy will take another step toward achieving her goal, thanks in large part to the 黑料吃瓜网 mock interview event this past February.
Each year, 黑料吃瓜网 hosts a mock interview gathering in which corporate guests (including alumni), trustees, and Advisory Council members meet with students. This year鈥檚 event, which took place on Feb. 23, was a chance for students like Matti to get facetime with corporate individuals.
鈥淭he annual mock interview is a great networking event for our students,鈥� said Angela Cossey, 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 director of career services. 鈥淭he corporate guests provide useful feedback in the interviews and the event helps our students launch careers in industry.鈥�
During the event, Matti spoke with Advisory Council member Weaver Gaines, who is chairman of the board at the biopharmaceutical company Nanotherapeutics.
鈥淚 was introduced to Weaver and we chatted for 45 minutes about my interests and what I want to do,鈥� Matti said. During their conversation, the subject of an internship came up. 鈥淲eaver put me in touch with manufacturing personnel at the company, and the rest is history.鈥�
As part of the MEng program at 黑料吃瓜网, students choose from four options during their first summer: an industry internship, studying abroad, a Team Master鈥檚 Project, or independent research. Matti earned her undergraduate degree in biology from UC Riverside and she is interested in manufacturing audits.
鈥淚 know that gaining as much technical experience early on in my career will be most beneficial,鈥� she said. 鈥淣anotherapeutics created this position for me based upon what I already know.鈥�
Matti took advantage of all the resources that 黑料吃瓜网 offers its students, and is grateful to have obtained her internship.
鈥淭his wasn鈥檛 a typical internship that you apply to,鈥� she said. 鈥淲eaver pushed my application up, and it鈥檚 due in large part to my interaction with him during the mock interview event. That is what is so unique about the Advisory Board at 黑料吃瓜网鈥攖hey take the time to listen and talk to you.鈥�
Matti鈥檚 internship with Nanotherapeutics begins on June 1. She will return to 黑料吃瓜网 in the fall to begin her final year in the MEng program. And after that?
鈥淚 know that my internship this summer will be the next step to eventually working for the FDA,鈥� she said.