This post is on behalf of Mohamed Abushama.
I’m Mohamed Abushama, a graduate student majoring in Electrical Engineering with an area of focus in Power & Energy. I’m from Khartoum, Sudan, where I’ve received my bachelors degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the University of Khartoum. After five years of work experience, I’ve developed a deep interest in the field of Renewable Energy, Smart Grids and Power Systems Protection. In my free time, I enjoy watching and playing soccer, as well as traveling and reading books.
I’ve had a great time attending the NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) 44TH Convention Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from the 21st to 23rd of March, where I had the opportunity to be a part of a very intellectually stimulating community of world class and fresh minds in the world of Electrical Engineering!
On the first day, despite my expectations of it being relatively quiet, we got many visitors to our booth. Mackenzie, the Assistant Director for Graduate Marketing and Recruiting at SEAS, and I, organized ourselves to attract prospective students and professionals. Luckily, our booth attracted many people and we managed to network and connect with various engineers of several specializations.
The event was huge and got busier on the second day. Over one hundred engineering companies were participating and sharing their knowledge and experiences with engineering students like myself. The workshops, round-tables, and seminars throughout the event were very rich in content on a practical level. This is something I believe every practicing engineer should learn more of and acquire the required skills to excel at their job just like the mind-blowing speakers I met there.
The second day was filled with several other events such as Google’s Hackathon, where we continued networking with several different individuals at our booth as well the other booths. Some booths on display were for prospective employers such as GE, Intel, DELL and Boeing, where different companies showed their latest technology progressions and excellence. Being a GW student made it easier for me to introduce myself as a student of a reputable school, and that resulted in me getting invited to a couple of interviews!
The conference came to an end on Saturday, where exhibitors including ourselves were cleaning up our booths, having made great professional connections. We explored different opportunities and furthermore gained new friends whom we’ve got something to share with in our chosen career path. NSBE is an outstanding networking platform for students and faculty members as it widens one’s scope and introduces them to the real world of engineering-in-action.
As a Graduate Ambassador and student at SEAS, my advice to you is to seize any opportunity in your school life to learn, contribute, volunteer and help. You are in one of the best schools in the United States, and you are one of the luckily few students who got accepted here. A lot of professors, departments, advisors and students are working here every day to help you get what you want. Make sure you stop by the career center to meet with the career advisors two or three times a month to check your resume, cover letter and for new openings. Engage with the school activities, register for every career fair you find, make connections with employers and you will definitely satisfy your career aspirations.
Mohamed
