Jayhawks Find A New Way To Connect

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Current and past Jayhawks have a new way to connect and promote professional growth. This week KU Athletics Career Development hosted its first Athletes in Engineering night. This is the start of a planned series, during which Career Development will host a night for Jayhawks with similar fields of study or career interests to collaborate and connect.

“It’s great to see the KU Athletic Department enhance the sense of community among engineering students and to give them an opportunity to identify other student-athletes with similar interests,” Michael Detatmore a Ph.D. and Professor in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering said. “It is also a perfect opportunity to form mentor relationships with people already in the field that are invaluable to career success.”

The Athletes in Engineering night started with a “speed dating” format. Each table consisted of one faculty member or former student-athlete working in engineering and 2-3 student-athletes who spent a few minutes asking questions at each table before rotating. Following the “speed dating”, everyone came together for group collaboration. In this panel, questions ranged from best advice former athletes and faculty had received to the best and worst classes in engineering.

“This would have been extremely advantageous when I was here just to help with networking within the field, as well as impressing the importance of having mentors that can be of use to you the rest of your career,” Justin Ellrich, a former baseball student-athlete and 2008 graduate said.

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