- RIT’s Brick City Weekend filled with dozen of activities and reunionsDozens of events are planned—from sports, tours, entertainers, music, and dance—for RIT’s Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend on Oct. 18-20. Thousands of the more than 150,000 RIT alumni and their families, as well as current RIT students, faculty, staff, and retirees, are expected on campus for the events. “Whether you are a hockey fan, love dance performances and music, enjoy big laughs at a comedy show, or seek inspiration from our special guest and Marvel superhero, Alaqua Cox, the weekend promises a diverse range of activities for alumni, students, faculty, staff, and families alike,” said Lisa Stein, executive director for events and conferences at RIT. Marvel Cinematic Universe actress Alaqua Cox, and Charlie Berens, a stand-up comedian who enjoys poking fun at his Midwestern background, are featured guests in the Gordon Field House and Activities Center. Disney Alaqua Cox, right, portrays Echo on Disney+. Cox, a deaf actress known for her breakout role as Maya Lopez and Echo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will be the guest at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19. Tickets for her discussion are $10 for RIT students, and $25 for all others. Cox appeared as Echo in the Disney+ series Hawkeye, which debuted in late 2021. This year, all five episodes of her solo spin-off series, Echo, premiered on Hulu and Disney+. She was born and raised on the Menominee Indian Reservation in Keshena, Wisconsin and is of the Menominee and Mohican nation. Since landing her acting role after friends urged her to apply, she has become an inspiration to many and continues to be a strong advocate for the deaf community. “It feels like a huge honor to be representing all these underrepresented communities. I want kids to be able to see themselves and feel worthy. We deserve this space in this moment. I am so happy Hollywood is making these changes and accommodations for us. It’s a great time to live right now,” she said on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Berens, a Wisconsin native, has been featured on networks including Comedy Central, Fox, CBS, and TBS. He provides weekly content on social media for his 9 million followers. In 2013, Berens won an Emmy Award for “The Cost of Water” while reporting for KDAF in Dallas. In 2017, he created the online comedic news show, Manitowoc Minute, and he added weekly Midwest-focused sketch comedy videos on his social media platforms. His bestselling book, The Midwest Survival Guide: How We Talk, Love, Work, Drink and Eat … Everything With Ranch, was released in 2021 and spawned three stand-up tours. He also hosts the Cripescast podcast where he interviews musicians, artists, comedians, creators, and more about their stories and connections to the Midwest. His appearance is open to the public at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18. Tickets are $10 for RIT students; $25 for RIT guests, family, alumni, faculty, and staff; and $40 for the public. Both presentations are open to the public. Ticket information and registration can be made on RIT’s Brick City Weekend website. Carlos Ortiz/RIT A packed house watches men’s hockey play Notre Dame at the Blue Cross Arena during last year’s Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend. Many of RIT’s individual colleges are scheduling events of their own for their students, their families, and alumni. Other events have a wide appeal and are open to all. More than a dozen performing arts events, ranging from dance, singing, concerts, and steel drums; and Mt. Hope Cemetery Tours, where Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass are buried, will be offered on Friday and Saturday for $15. Food trucks will also be on site.Thursday, Oct. 17, and Friday, Oct. 18, women’s hockey vs. RPI, 6-8:30 p.m., in the Gene Polisseni Center. Free. Friday, Oct. 18, 50 Years of NTID Performing Arts – Dyer Exhibit, Dyer Arts Center, Lyndon Baines Johnson Hall, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Friday, Oct. 18, Bevier Gallery Exhibition: After the Charrette, Booth Hall, room 2600. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Friday, Oct. 18, men’s soccer vs. Skidmore, Tiger Stadium (Doug May Field), 4-6:30 p.m. Free. Saturday, Oct. 19, Build-A-Tiger, the SHED, room 3350. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. $35. Saturday, Oct. 19, Popular Music Collective, several bands and groups perform, Munson Music Loft, the SHED, room 2120. 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Saturday, Oct. 19, Family Fun Zone, interactive experiences for all ages, including arcade games, an obstacle course, and inflatable bounce house, Frank Ritter Memorial Arena, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, Rochester City Ballet, the SHED Dance Studio, room 1140. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Saturday, Oct. 19, men’s soccer vs. RPI, Tiger Stadium (Doug May Field), 2-4:30 p.m. Free. Saturday, Oct. 19, men’s hockey vs. Bowling Green, Blue Cross Arena, downtown Rochester, 7:05 p.m. Shuttles will start from campus at 5 p.m. Tickets range from $9 to $25. Sunday, Oct. 20, Brick City Weekend 5K. 10-11 a.m. $25; free for students. Go to the Brick City Weekend website for more activities, registration, and ticketing information.
- RIT remains a HEED Award winner and Diversity ChampionRIT’s commitment to diversity has been recognized by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine with the annual Diversity Into Higher Education in Excellence (HEED) Award and Diversity Champion designation. The publication’s HEED Award recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. Those ranked in the top tier of HEED Award recipients are selected as Diversity Champions. This year marks the 11th consecutive HEED Award and 10th consecutive Diversity Champion designation for RIT. “It is an honor to be recognized across the past decade for our commitment to diversity and inclusion,” said Keith Jenkins, vice president and associate provost for Diversity and Inclusion. “As we begin our next strategic planning process, we look forward to continuing and expanding our efforts to create equal access, opportunities, and respect for all.” As a recipient of the HEED Award, RIT will be featured, along with 113 other awardees, in the November/December 2024 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. Award winners include undergraduate institutions, law and graduate schools, and community colleges. Diversity Champions are selected for exemplifying an unyielding commitment to diversity and inclusion throughout their campus communities, across academic programs, and at the highest administrative levels. Known for visionary leadership, Diversity Champions are institutions that serve as role models and set the standard for thousands of other U.S. college campuses striving for inclusive excellence. More information on the HEED Award and Diversity Champion recognition can be found on the INSIGHT Into Diversity website.
- ASL-English Interpretation major uses life experiences to build sign-language skillsGrowing up in Ethiopia, Zahria Ruper couldn’t communicate with her Deaf brother. But, life-changing experiences, including being adopted in the United States and learning American Sign Language from her adoptive mother, helped define her future. Today, Ruper, a fourth-year ASL-English Interpretation major at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, is looking ahead to graduating in May and starting her career. What were the circumstances around your interest in learning American Sign Language? No one in my birth family knew sign language and, as a result, it put a barrier between us and my Deaf older brother. We did not have the resources to learn sign language and we were limited to communicating with him through gesturing and home signs. When we arrived in the United States after living in an Ethiopian orphanage, our adoptive mom, a certified interpreter and an NTID graduate, taught us American Sign Language. This was the first time I was able to have a conversation with my brother. I fell in love with the language and culture. I loved how it was visual, and it made it much easier for me to learn English. Since then, my parents have adopted seven more kids, with a majority of them being Deaf. What made you decide to become an interpreting major? My mother would always interpret for my siblings. I would watch and be so mesmerized by it. I also interpreted conversations between my extended family and siblings. I never wanted my siblings to be left out in conversations or miss a chance to build relationships with others. Our family worked hard together to ensure that communication access was always available. This inspired me to pursue an interpreting degree. What are your favorite events and activities to interpret? And what do you find the most challenging? I enjoy interpreting panel discussions and speeches. It is a challenge especially if there are multiple speakers. But I love that I am able to include multiple individuals. I also love interpreting musical performances. There is so much room for creativity and unique opportunities to play with the language and connect it with rhythm. I think one of the most difficult things to learn and master as an interpreter is the ability to hold information while simultaneously interpreting and receiving more information. It requires a lot of mental processing and accurately determining lag time. What extracurricular or volunteer activities help you sharpen your interpreting skills? Once a month, I volunteer at my church to interpret worship music. I love that I am able to serve the Deaf community in this way. It is something that I look forward to and that I’m passionate about. I have also volunteered for several seminars as well as different events and classes within the community. I love giving back, making connections, gaining experience, and helping to make communication accessible. Last summer, I had an opportunity to volunteer and interpret at a music festival. I worked alongside many professional interpreters, one of whom was my mom. It was an amazing experience. I was able to serve and interact with many diverse Deaf individuals. I also had the opportunity to volunteer and interpret for a martial arts class. There were some challenges, but it helped me to learn how to collaborate with the individuals involved to provide full access.
- RIT surpasses $102 million in research funding for a single fiscal yearRochester Institute of Technology achieved a significant milestone by receiving $102 million in sponsored research awards during its past fiscal year, surpassing a key goal in its strategic plan a year ahead of schedule. This achievement marks a nearly 100 percent growth in sponsored research awards since 2014 when the strategic plan was created, underscoring RIT’s emergence as a nationally recognized research university, said Ryne Raffaelle, RIT’s vice president for Research. “Ten years ago, RIT set a priority in its strategic plan to achieve $100 million in obligated research awards within a single fiscal year,” said Raffaelle. “When the plan was drafted, this milestone was seen as a stretch goal. Achieving it a full year ahead of schedule is a testament to the excellence of our faculty, staff, and students engaged in research at RIT.” The FY24 total includes significant growth in competitive awards from federal sources. RIT received record funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) ($20 million), the National Institutes of Health ($10 million), and the Department of Defense (DOD) ($23 million). These awards support a diverse range of projects, from quantum communication and expanding lithium battery manufacturing to controlling microplastics pollution in the Great Lakes watershed and modeling supermassive black holes. A significant portion of the funding is dedicated to workforce development and enhancing skills for future professionals across a wide range of STEM careers, from technicians to Ph.D.’s. RIT received numerous new awards from the NSF and other federal agencies to develop new curricula, undergraduate and graduate training initiatives, and graduate research fellowships. As an example, RIT received a prestigious NSF National Research Traineeship (NRT) award which supports interdisciplinary education related to artificial intelligence. Additionally, RIT received a second NSF NRT award focused on developing graduate-level interdisciplinary training in Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) technology, essential for designing and building computer chips. The training programs complement ongoing support from the DOD and the NSF, aimed at recruiting and training the next generation of cybersecurity experts at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Increasing sponsored research awards also empowers RIT to significantly contribute to U.S. competitiveness and address global challenges. “These STEM training awards demonstrate the caliber of our faculty and the need for the degree programs we offer. We are proud that RIT is recognized by federal agencies as an important asset in training the workforce of the future,” said Raffaelle. “Expanding our research portfolio underscores our dedication to addressing critical issues affecting our community, state, country, and the world. This surge in research activity also creates more opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to participate in experiential learning with leading faculty members, equipping our graduates for future careers.” RIT is in the process of developing its next strategic plan, carefully considering its future research aspirations, including setting ambitious goals for continued research growth and an increase in advanced degrees conferred. Here is what local elected officials said about RIT’s research growth:"Congratulations to RIT in reaching its strategic goal with this $100 million milestone in sponsored research awards,” said New York State Assemblyman Harry Bronson. “Through these grants RIT builds upon its distinguished position of innovation and creativity in the applied science arena. With these grants RIT continues its focus on workforce development to prepare future professionals for the expanding and emerging industries of today and for tomorrow. RIT's work helps to make the Greater Rochester area and indeed our state a true competitor on the global market while providing true opportunities for its undergraduate and graduate students." “RIT is a national leader when it comes to cutting-edge research, training the next generation of innovators, and contributing to technological advancements across our country,” said New York State Senator Jeremy Cooney. “Congratulations on reaching this benchmark and thank you for all you do to support our Rochester community!” “Congratulations to Rochester Institute of Technology on achieving this significant milestone,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “This underscores the strength of their world-class research capabilities and is a testament to their growth and leadership. I look forward to our continued partnership, particularly as we leverage our region’s designation as a Regional Technology Hub—together we will advance RIT’s legacy of academic excellence, train the workforce of the future, and strengthen our local economy.”
- Future Faculty Career Exploration Program welcomes newest class of diverse scholarsThe 21st cohort of RIT’s Future Faculty Career Exploration Program was welcomed to campus Sept. 25-28 for the opportunity to experience what it would be like to be a faculty member at RIT. The program invites exceptional underrepresented researchers and artists of all disciplines. Participants engage with administration, faculty, and staff across campus while enhancing interview skills, practicing job-talk presentations, and exploring research, teaching, and service expectations of RIT faculty members. The program is hosted by the Office of Faculty Diversity and Recruitment in the university’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion. “This program provides a transformational experience,” said Torrence Sparkman, assistant provost and assistant vice president for faculty diversity and recruitment. “We select scholars with the highest level of achievement in research, art, skill, and expertise to discover RIT’s commitment to inclusive excellence and professional quality that sets us apart.” The 2024 cohort consists of 11 scholars across six different colleges:Carlos Augusto Bautista Isaza, Ph.D. candidate, Virginia Tech (computer science and applications) Nikisha Alcindor, Ph.D. candidate, Graduate Center of the City of New York (business strategy) Estelle E. Archibold, postdoctoral scholar, The Pennsylvania State University (management) Kalan Horton, Ph.D. candidate, Florida State University (strategic management) Sayde King, Ph.D. candidate, University of South Florida (computer science and engineering) Elizabeth Ondula, Ph.D. candidate, University of Southern California (computer science) Hafiz Oyediran, Ph.D. candidate, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (construction engineering and management) Mayassa Hashaad, Ph.D. candidate, University of Arkansas (creative writing and literary translation) Mbaye Diouf, senior research associate, Brown University (optical physics) J. Carlos Martinez Mori, postdoctoral scholar, Georgia Institute of Technology (applied mathematics) Edwin Solares, lecturer, University of California, San Diego (computer science and biology) The Future Faculty Career Exploration Program was one of the first faculty diversity and recruitment programs in the nation, and it helps RIT continue to be a leader in diversity and inclusion initiatives, ultimately strengthening the campus environment. Every year, a new group of up-and-coming academics grows their network and skills for future career opportunities. Since its inception, the program has invited hundreds of historically underrepresented scholars and artists to participate, many of whom now serve in faculty leadership roles in academia. Learn more about the program and this year’s cohort in the 2024 program guide.
- RIT’s Siewe receives award for mathematical modeling research linking obesity and diabetesRIT Assistant Professor Nourridine Siewe has received a $500,000 National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Support for Research Excellence (SuRE) – First Award for his work in mathematical models of obesity-induced Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and chronic wound healing. The core objective of Siewe’s proposal is to develop an advanced mathematical model that explains the pathways through which obesity leads to T2DM. This model will also be utilized to assess the efficacy of anti-T2DM drugs. By integrating recent research findings into the model, Siewe aims to offer new insights into the disease process and evaluate potential therapeutic interventions with greater precision. “This award underscores the importance of integrating mathematical modeling with clinical research to address complex health challenges,” said Siewe. “It paves the way for future advancements in chronic disease management and drug efficacy evaluation.” Obesity is a significant driver of T2DM, with 85% of adult Americans diagnosed with T2DM being overweight or obese, and 30% of obese adults suffering from the disease. Despite progress in understanding the mechanisms linking obesity to T2DM, there remains a pressing need for comprehensive models to further explore these dynamics and improve treatment strategies. The successful execution of this project promises to revolutionize the approach to modeling glucose-insulin dynamics, particularly in the context of obesity-induced T2DM. The anticipated outcomes of this research will provide a robust framework for designing and analyzing within-host mathematical models, which can significantly enhance understanding of glucose-insulin regulation in both health and disease. The modeling techniques developed through this research have the potential for broad applications. They could be replicated in other areas, such as chronic infections and diseases like cancer, hepatitis B virus, and wound healing in diabetes and obesity. The innovative approaches proposed will likely lead to improved virtual patient models, essential for evaluating new experimental or approved drugs. The NIGMS SuRE - First Award is a competitive grant designed to support researchers early in their careers, focusing on innovative and impactful research projects that address significant scientific questions. The program aims to foster excellence in research and provide the necessary resources for researchers to achieve their goals.
- Two faculty members named inaugural endowed professors at RIT’s Saunders College of BusinessChun-Keung “Stan” Hoi and Sean Hansen have each earned high honors during their tenures as professors in the Saunders College of Business. With a combined 41 years of service, enriching the lives of their students and advancing research, it seems fitting that they were named inaugural recipients of professorships named after two people who have also propelled the college forward. Hoi, a professor in the department of finance and accounting for 27 years, is the inaugural Daniel D. Tessoni Endowed Professor in Accounting. Hansen, the department chair of management information systems, marketing and analytics was named the inaugural E. Phillip Saunders Endowed Professor. Both were recognized for their exceptional contributions to teaching and research in an installation ceremony at the Susan N. Holiday Center in Lowenthal Hall Sept. 26. “Saunders College of Business is committed to excellence in education, research, and innovation,” said Dean Jacqueline Mozrall. “The endowed professorships are critical to our mission. These professorships enable us to support our distinguished faculty, who are leaders in their field, and provide them with the resources they need to continue their groundbreaking work.” Established in 2015, the Daniel D. Tessoni Professorship in Accounting honors Tessoni, who served at the college from 1974 until his retirement in 2022. Hoi, who spent 25 years working alongside Tessoni, expressed his gratitude, calling the longtime professor his “occasional partner in crime” in accounting research. “We know that this professorship was created in honor of Dan,” Hoi said. “But what you don’t know is that this was started by a group of students and colleagues who have each benefited from Dan’s teaching, his drive, his wisdom, and his words. On behalf of the Saunders College of Business, and the bottom of my heart, thank you.” Hoi has earned many awards during his tenure, including the Eisenhart Award for Outstanding Teaching and the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring. Hoi’s work has been published in leading academic journals in both accounting and finance, including The Accounting Review, Journal of Accounting Research, Journal of Finance, and Journal of Financial Economics. The professorship will help fund research in the realm of empirical corporate finance and accounting, learning how social and institutional environments surrounding these firms affect their policies and practices. “I hope this professorship will allow us to expand, if only incrementally, the research boundaries in both accounting and finance,” Hoi said. “To borrow a phrase from a popular TV show, with this professorship I hope we can boldly go where no one has gone before.” The E. Phillip Saunders Endowed Professorship, named after the college’s namesake, was established in 2018 by the longtime benefactor as an investment in a faculty member’s professional growth and development. “I want to offer my profound thanks to Mr. Saunders, not only for this endowment, but also for the tremendous service and role that he’s played in the life of the college that so proudly bears his name,” Hansen said. “His record of philanthropic giving and support for not only higher education, but our entire community, is truly inspiring.” Carlos Ortiz/RIT Sean Hansen spoke of the importance of research as a tool to teach students critical thinking skills, and thanked his family for their sacrifices as he pursued a career in higher education. Hansen and fellow faculty member Chun-Keung “Stan” Hoi earned Saunders College of Business endowed professorships in an installation ceremony Sept. 26. Hansen has been a faculty member at RIT for 14 years, teaching everything from undergraduate courses to PhD courses. He did this while also publishing at a high level; Hansen’s research has been published in numerous MIS journals including Information Systems Research, MIS Quarterly, and The Information Society. Hansen earned the Richard and Virginia Eisenhart Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. He is also the recipient of the Zutes Faculty Fellowship, the Saunders College Faculty Scholarship Grant, and the Norman A. Miles Award for Academic Excellence in Teaching. Academia was a second career for Hansen, who spent his early years providing management and technology consulting services to companies across the industrial spectrum. After earning an MBA from Case Western Reserve University, he pursued a PhD at the same institution, thanks to the crucial support from his family. “I came home and said to my wife, Susie, I’m thinking of getting my Ph.D.,” Hansen said. “And she was within her rights to say no—we had two kids at that point, and she could have said that it wasn’t part of the plan. She told me to go for it, and we will figure it out. Everything that I have accomplished since, as an academic, as a researcher, and as a teacher is due to her.” The professorship will help further Hansen’s research interests, which include software design and development, health IT, IT strategy, and the application of cognitive theory to information systems. He emphasized the importance of research in shaping the institution’s reputation, while also enhancing his teaching. “Research is the piece of what we do that is often opaque to the outside world,” Hansen said. “Scientific inquiry matters for society. It matters for our students, and it enables us to impart, or rather, nurture within our students, different ways of thinking and solving problems, working through complex challenges. As we deal in a rapidly evolving world, the ability to deal with that complexity and to make sense of the world is as crucial as it’s ever been.”
- RIT selected to receive $9.9 million for U.S. Space Force researchRIT has been selected to lead the United States Space Force University Consortium/Space Strategic Technology Institute 3 (SSTI) research regarding advanced space power and propulsion, which includes $9.9 million in funding. The research is in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory and will enable game-changing space power and propulsion technology that will transition to the U.S. Department of Defense. The University of Michigan is also a lead institution for this research, which will include advancements in solar technology, thruster technology, and novel power approaches. As a center leader for the SSTI, RIT will work with other university partners to develop lower-cost, sustainable solar cells that can be used for power systems. “We’re trying to look at innovative new materials,” said Seth Hubbard, professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy and director of the SSTI research center. “It’s very important to find materials that are scalable, manufacturable, but can also withstand the extreme environments in space.” Specifically, the team will be building off work by Ahmad Kirmani, assistant professor in the School of Chemistry and Materials Science, with perovskites and their use in space. “We have found some really surprising and astonishing properties,” said Kirmani. “Perovskites appear to hold up at energy levels and intensity levels far higher than silicon, and silicon has been used for powering space satellites. We have been recreating space stressors like radiation, vacuums, and atomic oxygen to see how perovskites perform.” The commercialization of space has increased the demand for cheaper materials that can withstand harsher environments for longer periods of time. Advancing space technologies has become a large focus of funding for both private and governmental and military purposes. RIT continues to build its reputation as a leader in space technology. “We’re recognized as a university that can handle this type work, knows what they’re doing, and is at the forefront of this technology and research,” added Hubbard. “To be selected for this opportunity to contribute to the cutting edge of space power research is very exciting.”
- RIT secures federal funding to advance microelectronic engineering workforce programsRochester Institute of Technology received funding from the National Semiconductor Technology Center’s Workforce Partner Alliance for BRIDGE—the Broadening Research and Inter-Disciplinary Graduate Education for Microelectronics program. The award of nearly $1.5 million will be used to train 555 students over the next two years at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels and through a new online certificate program across microelectronics-related educational tracks. Program emphasis on education, industry collaboration, and student support will address workforce shortages in the microelectronics sector. “I want to thank Senator Schumer and the Biden-Harris Administration for providing this opportunity that RIT will use to address workforce shortages in the microelectronics industry here in the U.S.” said RIT President David Munson. “Technology is driving unprecedented changes in the way we work. RIT is committed to fostering diversity and removing educational barriers for a new wave of highly skilled workers, who will need to be analytical problem solvers with an ability to adapt to evolving career fields.” This inaugural round of funding from the NSTC to continue to build U.S. capacity in semiconductor design, manufacturing, and production was announced by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer. “I am proud to have pushed for, and secured, this nearly $1.5 million federal investment for RIT from my CHIPS & Science Law that will help students in New York and across America get the hands-on training they need to enter careers in the booming chip industry,” said Schumer. “RIT’s program will provide training to hundreds of college students so that they can succeed in the thousands upon thousands of new jobs being created in New York in the semiconductor industry. This will prepare our students for good-paying jobs at companies like Micron, GlobalFoundries, Corning, Edwards Vacuum, and more as we see the chip industry expand in upstate N.Y.” Investments by the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department of Commerce, and other organizations are helping to build industry, government, and academic partnerships across the country that are aimed at keeping the U.S. as a leader in the manufacture of semiconductors—and the leaders who develop them. For example, earlier in the summer, RIT received a substantial grant from the National Science Foundation to establish Beginnings: Empowering Minds through Experiential Learning, Research, and Career Growth Opportunities in Emerging Microelectronics (EMERGE-MICRO), with a similar focus on preparing a pipeline of students for STEM careers. Key partners are Monroe Community College and Finger Lakes Community College, both of which have strong programming in engineering, science, and physics. Corporate partners include Micron Corp. and GlobalFoundries, international manufacturers of computer chips. “Micron is committed to expanding access to careers in the semiconductor industry, and partners like RIT play an important role in ensuring we have trained, highly skilled professionals to support our memory manufacturing plans. This funding, which will support online certificate programs, ensures that we have pathways that allow individuals from all backgrounds opportunities to enter the industry. Micron is eager to collaborate with RIT to provide holistic experiential learning opportunities for the future generation of semiconductor industry leaders,” said April Arnzen, Micron executive vice president and chief people officer.
- RIT fall University-wide Career Fair brings employment opportunities to student job seekersSecond-year chemical engineering student Dominick Seymour loves working in labs and is hoping to find a summer or fall co-op with a company near his home in Massachusetts. His plan is to eventually land a full-time job in pharmaceutical research and development. Seymour joined nearly 4,000 other RIT students looking for co-ops, internships, or full-time employment at RIT’s University-wide Career Fair on Sept. 25 in the Gordon Field House and Activities Center. Recruiters from 250 local, regional, and national employers attended the event, including Johnson & Johnson, Rochester Regional Health, Owl Autonomous Imaging, Texas Instruments, Proctor & Gamble, Keurig Dr Pepper, and Chobani, among others. “This is my first time at the career fair and I feel very prepared for this,” said Seymour, who is from Wilbraham, Mass. “I have my resumes and I’m excited to find what I’m looking for today.” In addition to speaking with a recruiter from Entegris, he is also planning to meet with reps from Dennis Group, Javlyn Process Systems, and Arxada, among others. RIT’s co-op program is one of the oldest in the nation, beginning in 1912. More than 4,000 RIT students typically complete a co-op each year. RIT was recently recognized in the 2025 edition of U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges, which ranked its co-op and internship program sixth in the nation. “Each year, we are thrilled to bring hundreds of companies and organizations to campus to interview our top-notch students for jobs,” said Maria Richart, director of Career Services and Cooperative Education. “Time after time, we hear that our students are sought after based on their ability to seamlessly enter the work environment. The quality of education that our students receive, paired with their drive, creativity, and desire to innovate, is the reason for the continued success of the career fair.” New this year, representatives from Toyota and GE Aerospace arrived on campus early to showcase a vehicle and engine, respectively, and give students additional opportunities to learn about the companies. RIT alumna Moona Guo ’20 (mechanical engineering technology) is lead manufacturing engineer for GE Aerospace and spoke with students about the company’s CFM International LEAP turbofan engine that powers the Boeing 737 MAX, among other airliners. Guo and her recruitment team of five other RIT alumni joined more than 200 alumni who returned to campus to interview students. “I’m so proud that I’m able to give back to the university that helped set me up for success with GE Aero,” said Guo, who has returned to RIT several times to recruit for co-ops. “Honestly, the best part of coming back to campus is seeing the excitement in the students’ eyes when they talk to us. To take it a step further, I love calling students who are selected for co-ops. You can feel their emotions over the phone when they realize that someone is willing to take a chance on them. I’m well aware of the impact that we have and the ability to help set them up for their own successes.” Students will be able to return for Interview Day, a chance to speak with recruiters one-on-one, on Sept. 26.
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