Several of STV’s engineers recently volunteered to participate in the Structural Engineers Association of New York’s (SEAoNY) 2023 Shadow a Structural Engineer program. This program provides college students with an opportunity to get a first-hand look at a typical workday of a practicing engineer, with the underlying mission of easing the transition of students into successful, professional engineers and future leaders in structural engineering.
Jithu Alexander, P.E., and Matthew Sangen, P.E., S.E., helped organize the event as part of the SEAoNY Young Member Group’s Student Outreach Committee. Alexander co-chairs the committee, while Sangen is a former chair/current member. The committee organizes the annual Shadow a Structural Engineer program as well as networking and professional development events for college students throughout the year.
“Shadow a Structural Engineer is a great opportunity to meet with students and teach them what we do and why the structural engineering profession is vital to our communities,” said Sangen. “These students are the future of our industry, and it is really rewarding to see how engaged they are at such an early stage of their careers.”
Across the board, this year’s Shadow a Structural Engineer marked the program’s return to an in-person event following the COVID-19 pandemic and was one of the program’s most successful years ever, with nearly 90 student participants.
Six of those students spent part of two days at STV’s New York office. Our engineers showcased a variety of the firm’s projects at different stages of design and construction to ensure a well-rounded experience for the students. Other STV volunteers included Elizabeth Lisk, P.E., Jack Greenberg, P.E., Jacob Rueckel, P.E., Nadia Tolli, P.E., Matthew Post, P.E., Darlene Ortillo, P.E., and Joseph Nafash.
“It is important that STV participates in events like these not only to foster the growth of the structural engineering field but to generate excitement and interest in engineering in general,” said Alexander.
