UC engineering students recognized for achievement in cooperative education

Jessica Burke completed co-ops at Moss and Associates, Messer Construction, and RDH Building Science, Inc. She got to work on a commercial solar site in Florida, contributed to virtual design and construction (VDC) on multiple buildings at UC and across the Midwest, and conducted air leakage and water tests for commercial and residential buildings in Seattle. She also serves as a CEAS Ambassador, a ROAR Tour Guide, a Resident Advisor and a CEAS Program Leader. Upon graduation, Burke will work as an energy and sustainability analyst with RDH Building Science in Toronto.

Findlay, Ohio, native Tia Current did four co-op terms at Marathon Petroleum with different assignments in Illinois, Texas, Kentucky and Ohio. In her third term, she led a project that saved more than $100,000 per year in fuel gas. Her can-do attitude and “all-in” approach to challenges made her a standout at Marathon. She is active in the National Society of Black Engineers and is an inspiration to other young women in a male-dominated industry. Current will work for Marathon full-time upon graduation.

Allison Meier gained co-op experience at Honeywell in controls engineering, at Big Ass Fans in firmware engineering, and at GE Aerospace (three terms) in digital technology. Meier has mastered technical skills in embedded systems and made significant impacts by creating organizational efficiencies and improving technologies. She has also shown leadership and service on campus and in GE’s co-op program. Meier will graduate with both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA and will start a full-time job with GE Aerospace Digital Technology’s leadership program.

Alex Platt took full advantage of opportunities at UC. He completed six co-ops: one each at the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), Garney Construction and Universal Contracting, and three at Fischer Homes. He also worked part-time for Universal and ODOT during school semesters, added a minor in real estate, and picked up certificates in urban planning and geographic information systems (GIS). He also served on committees in the Construction Students Association. Upon graduation, Platt will work full-time with Fischer Homes.

Jeff Urbanowicz completed two co-ops with Marathon Petroleum and two with Independence Excavating. At Marathon, Urbanowicz led efforts on projects that laid valuable groundwork for the environmental teams. His supervisors were impressed with the quality of his work, especially since several project elements were entirely new to him. Urbanowicz’s co-op advisor also commended his efforts to increase membership in the Society of Environmental Engineers so students could connect with each other and with industry representatives. After graduation, Urbanowicz plans to work in industry ensuring environmental compliance.

With five successful co-ops at WHS Engineering (Cleveland), RIDGID Tool Company (Elyria, Ohio) and Modula (Franklin, Ohio), Anna Krizsa has honed an array of technical and interpersonal skills while rotating through roles in HVAC design, product development and operations management. At Modula she digitized scrap metal recording procedures, boosting accuracy by 28%. At RIDGID, she helped cut testing setup times by more than 50%. Her enthusiasm and work ethic have enabled her to maximize her co-op experiences to become an adaptable, well-rounded engineer.

Beijing native and electrical engineering student Ruotong Ming conducted co-op work and research in robotics and autonomous driving at Volkswagen Group China and several associated key laboratories. She has excelled at the worksite and in the classroom. In addition to applying for patents and authoring publications, she has shown innovation and entrepreneurship by establishing her own company in China based on the results of her co-op work.