Orange County Branch Newsletter
September 2020
ASCE Orange County
Pathways Academy 2020
By Esmeralda Briseno, ENV SP | Pathways Academy Co-Chair
Established in 2019, the ASCE OC Pathways Academy is a three-part summer program that introduces university students to the various civil engineering disciplines through our "Engineering Your Future" (EYF) Speaker Series Event, Company Tour Seminars, and valuable professional networking opportunities. The goal of this program is to bridge the gap between academia and industry by encouraging students to explore all their potential career options. With the huge success of its first year, ASCE OC was excited to empower the engineering journeys of our Class of 2020 Student Scholars!
Due to the unprecedented events, this year's Pathways Academy was hosted completely virtual. During the EYF 2-Day Virtual Event on July 23rd and 24th, our Speaker Series featured companies from various disciplines and public agencies. Students had the opportunity to hear 25-minute lightning talks from professionals working in the seven main Civil Engineering disciplines. The speakers shared their scope and career paths, interesting projects they have worked on, highlights of their career journeys, and provided advice to students on how they can prepare for their respective disciplines. Thank you to our 2020 EYF participating companies - Gannett Fleming, Murex Environmental, SPC Engineering, DCI Engineers, LADWP, OC Waste & Recycling, PACE, Stantec, McCarthy Building Companies, City of Anaheim, OCTA, Mark Thomas, and Jacobs, for presenting to nearly 100 university students and professionals! We also want to give a big thanks to our Gold Sponsors: HNTB and Michael Baker International!
EYF July 23rd Industry Speakers
EYF July 24th Industry Speakers
EYF Professional Panel Speakers
The Company Tour Virtual Seminars were hosted between July 27th and July 30th. Our 25 Pathways Academy Student Scholars had the opportunity to do a deeper dive into the seven main civil engineering disciplines by virtually attending eight Company Tour Seminars. These seminars, hosted by private firms and public agencies in Orange County, allowed students to learn about real-world design and construction projects, participate in interactive activities to better understand the disciplines, and network and learn from experienced engineers from their firm. Thank you to our 2020 Company Tour Hosts - WSP, Griffith Company, ENGEO, Michael Baker International, OC Public Works, Kimley Horn, Mark Thomas, and TY Lin International! ASCE OC appreciates their time, effort, and support towards the future of these bright students.
ASCE OC Pathways Academy 2020 Company Tour Hosts
The program concluded with a Cohort Virtual Graduation Ceremony on Friday, July 31st where our 25 Pathways Academy Student Scholars, participating companies, and the amazing Pathways Academy committee virtually celebrated the end of this year's program. The Scholars shared their experience and were presented with their Certificate of Completion. Additionally, during the Ceremony, our participating companies revealed their Externship/Mentorship opportunities to the scholars they selected. All of our 25 Scholars received at least one Externship/Mentorship opportunity! Wow! Thank you all for the continuous support and congratulations again to the Class of 2020!
ASCE OC Pathways Academy Class of 2020 Student Scholars
About the Author
Esmeralda Briseno is a Project Engineer for the Program & Construction Management Group at Jacobs. Since her involvement, ASCE has provided Esmeralda with opportunities of personal and professional development and allowed her to meet some of the most enthusiastic and hard-working engineers in the industry. In her spare time, Esmeralda enjoys visiting museums, hiking, and exploring new places.
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