Lunch and Learn Sessions at Penn State University

Penn State Behrend hosted its inaugural “Lunch and Learn” sessions during the spring 2019 semester. These sessions were organized by the Material Advantage Chapter’s faculty advisor, Paul C. Lynch, an AIST Foundation Kent D. Peaslee Junior Faculty Award recipient, and hosted by the Materials and Manufacturing Group at Penn State Behrend and the AIST Foundation.

Twenty-six students attended two sessions where representatives from different steel companies were invited to speak.

Presenters were asked to discuss their careers in the industry, responsibilities in their current positions and how AIST helped them along the way. At the conclusion of each presentation, students were given the opportunity to ask questions.

Between the sessions, students had lunch and were able to network with the presenters. Members of Penn State Behrend’s Career Services Department, faculty and the associate director of the School of Engineering were also invited.

The first Lunch and Learn was held 27 February 2019. Tim McIntosh, manager of operations — process control and automation at ATI Flat Rolled Products, was present as well as Vince Canino, process control and automation engineer, electrical engineering at ATI Washington Plate, and Dan Cerrone, consulting engineer — coated products at United States Steel Corporation.

On 13 March 2019, Evan M. Merica, associate process technology engineer at AK Steel, was invited to speak. The next session was on 27 March 2019 with Rishabh Bahel, energy manager at ArcelorMittal Cleveland. The final Lunch and Learn of the semester was held on 3 April 2019 with Rodrigo Costa and Troy Kaczorowski from Charter Steel.

This year was the inauguration of the Lunch and Learn sessions, and more are anticipated to take place in the coming semesters. Companies and students alike provided positive feedback, and students enjoyed the series so much that the sessions oftentimes ran over.

Student Chapter president, Branson Elliott, commented, “The Lunch and Learn was a fantastic opportunity for Penn State Behrend students to engage with local industry and learn about the various companies that attended over the course of the semester. The partnership was mutually beneficial for both parties. It gave industry a platform to talk about their companies and their goals, while also providing details on what they are looking for from current and future employees and how students can best prepare for their careers in industry.”

1. Rishabh Bahel, energy manager at ArcelorMittal Cleveland, spoke to students on 27 March 2019. 2. Evan M. Merica, associate process technology engineer at AK Steel, presented at the 13 March Lunch and Learn. 3. The last Lunch and Learn session was on 3 April 2019 (left to right): Noah Kunst, student; Rodrigo Costa, Charter Steel; Troy Kaczorowski, Charter Steel; and Branson Elliott, student.

Another student, Mikey Pittavino, Student Chapter member and junior engineering student, said, “I joined the Materials and Manufacturing Group (MMG) club at the beginning of the year, which got me connected to the Lunchand Learn series. It wasn’t long before I realized how beneficial it is to talk to people outside of the college scene. The roundtable discussions held within the Lunch and Learns allow everyone to participate. Someone could ask a question which might spark another question from someone else and it almost always turns into a conversation among each other. The knowledge and experiences shared in the Lunch and Learns cannot be found in a classroom, and I see it as almost necessary for all students looking to find the right career. I went to every discussion and learned something new every time.”   

1. A roundtable discussion was held on 27 February 2019 with speakers Tim McIntosh, ATI Rolled Products; Vince Canino, ATI Washington Plate; and Dan Cerrone, United States Steel Corporation. 2. Many students were in attendance at the last Lunch and Learn session of the semester on 3 April 2019.