Thirty-five students from the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering went to the Tappi Student Summit over Martin Luther King weekend. The Summit, held this year in Jacksonville, FL, brings together students from all over the country (and this year, from all over the world) to learn about the paper and bioprocess industries, tour local facilities, network with their peers and employers, and learn about the necessary skills to become a successful engineer. The three-days of events also included an engineering competition, mock interviews, and an employer trade fair.
During the Summit, students had the opportunity to visit three different industrial sites. On the paper side, RockTenn, a producer of linerboard and corrugating medium, and Rayonier, a producer of dissolving pulp, opened their doors to the students. More on the bioprocessing side of thing, students had the opportunity to visit Anheuser-Busch (SUNY-ESF students shown above in the courtyard of the brewery). All three tours were very informative and students had the chance to not only learn about the industrial processes involved, they also learned about the role that engineers play in the companies. One day’s tour included a stop for a couple of hours on a beach.
Students also had the opportunity to interview for summer and permanent jobs at the Summit. A number of different companies held interviews including:
- BASF, The Chemical Company
- Boise Paper Corn Products
- Domtar
- First Quality Enterprises, Inc
- International Paper
- MeadWestVaco
- Nalco Chemical Company
- Orchids Paper Company
- Rayonier
- RockTenn
- SAPPI Fine Paper
- Weyerhaeuser
Several students received offers before the Summit was over and secured their summer internships for June. The contacts made by the students will help them in the future.
