Corporate Relations - Corporate Opportunities

The Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering seeks corporate friends to ensure successful career opportunities for our students. We are eager to work with companies in achieving successful recruiting efforts. To foster a relationship between companies and our students, the MNE Department is seeking a committed, collaborative effort such as gift funds, establishing Centers of Excellence, providing research funds, etc. Because we consider these companies to be corporate friends of our department, we seek to find ways in which we can acknowledge their generous support.

This page provides suggested opportunities through which companies can work with Penn State’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering to achieve successful recruiting strategies for our students seeking full-time employment. Unless otherwise indicated, contact the MNE Department Head, Dr. Karen Thole (kthole@psu.edu), for more information.

Informational Meetings (Cost: Food provided to the students): The two main student organizations in our department that host informational student meetings are the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Nuclear Society (ANS). Many of our students participate in these two organizations. These informational meetings provide an opportunity for companies to give brief presentations on career opportunities that either a mechanical or nuclear engineer could have at their firm. To arrange such an informational meeting, it would be best to contact the student president of the organization. The officers of each organization can be found at this web site: http://www.mne.psu.edu/Directories/students.html.
Participation in the MNE Senior Reception (Cost: $300 for each company): Each year, the department invites companies to attend our Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Senior Reception, held in the fall semester during the week of the Penn State Career Fair. To this reception, we invite all of our graduating mechanical and nuclear engineering seniors who will be looking for full-time positions. We also invite the MNE corporate friends to attend. This venue provides the opportunity to meet our students in a social setting. Click here for more information.
Sponsorship of Learning Factory Senior Capstone Design Project for Mechanical Engineering (Cost: $3000 for a semester design project): A senior capstone design project is required for all mechanical engineering students as a part of their degree. These capstone design projects are managed and acquired by The Learning Factory, which provides a framework for an industry-university partnership that helps produce world-class engineers by integrating design, manufacturing, and business realities into the engineering curriculum. The Learning Factory offers students in traditional engineering disciplines an experience that directly prepares them for careers in design, manufacturing, and product realization. To inquire about funding a semester-long capstone design project for mechanical engineering students, please contact Leland Engel (lge2@psu.edu).
Mechanical Engineering Student Mentoring Program (Cost: An annual departmental gift exceeding $15,000, or an annual sponsored research contract exceeding $100,000): The Penn State Mechanical Engineering Society (PSMES) has formed a mentoring program that provides an opportunity for our mechanical engineering students to receive professional advice from our successful alumni. This program is intended to match students who elect to participate with alumni from our program who can provide advice for the students’ professional growth. Many companies are forming recruitment teams that are composed of Penn State alumni who want to help mentor our students. These recruitment teams may elect to participate in our mentoring efforts through this program. Corporate sponsorship will be acknowledged on our MNE web site. For more information, you can contact Department Head Dr. Karen Thole or the PSMES Chair Gerald Robertson.
Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Special Recruitment Program (Cost: An annual departmental gift exceeding $15,000, or an annual sponsored research contract exceeding $100,000): Enrollment in this program affords companies an opportunity to set up displays and invite our students to informal discussions within the Reber Building, which houses many of the mechanical and nuclear engineering laboratories and various MNE activities. Note that enrollment in the Mechanical Engineering Student Mentoring Program also entitles companies to participate in this program. Corporate sponsorship is acknowledged on our MNE web site.
Mechanical or Nuclear Engineering Teaching Awards (Cost: Annual departmental gift exceeding $15,000, with a commitment for 5 years; or $100,000 for a perpetual endowment): Teaching awards for our faculty receive much attention from our students. There are opportunities for companies to sponsor faculty teaching awards that could be selected by our students. Selection of the awards by our students provides visibility for our corporate friends.
Mechanical or Nuclear Engineering Lecture Series (Cost: Annual departmental gift exceeding $15,000, with a commitment for 5 years; or $100,000 for a perpetual endowment): Lecture series give great name recognition for corporations through their sponsorship. Through these lecture series, our department seeks to ensure that our faculty and students remain current in their teaching and research efforts. The lectures are widely publicized to students and faculty internally as well as external to Penn State. Corporate sponsorship will be acknowledged on our MNE web site.
Naming of Mechanical or Nuclear Engineering Rooms (Cost: Dependent upon room): Corporate name recognition for a company can be achieved through naming of rooms, such as a laboratory or computer room, in either our mechanical or nuclear engineering programs. Since students use these rooms on a daily basis, there is a large opportunity to gain recognition for companies.
Other Opportunities for Corporate Partnerships: Other opportunities include faculty endowments, such as chairs and professorships; student endowments, such as scholarships and fellowships; and program endowments for research, curriculum development, and laboratory development.