The School of Architecture & Engineering Technology hosted its 9th annual Florida A&M University Alumni Industry Day on April 7. in the Benjamin Banneker Building. Classes were cancelled for the day, which gave students the opportunity to attend various sessions.
The event was organized by a committee of student facilitators, the alumni board and professors.
There was a College of Engineering student competition, Electronic Engineering Technology capstone design presentations and team building exercises.
Garneisha Hibbert, a third-year Electronic Engineering Technology student from Miami, served as the secretary for The FAMU Institute of Electrical Electronic E-board and was a student facilitator of the ninth annual Industry Day.
“Everyone can’t explain how to be a black engineer,” said Hibbert.
Shizar Horace, a fifth-year student majoring in Architecture with a minor in building engineering, said he enjoys industry day because it gives him real world applications instead of looking at a book.
“You’re actually seeing projects that people are doing. We had a guy here today telling us about a bridge he was doing, versus us looking in a book at a bridge. He brought the actual process to us,” said Horace.
The day concluded with an engineering technology gala in FAMU’s architecture building with keynote speaker Warren Patten, Jr., a Webster University graduate from Palm Bay, who serves as the Vice President of WP of Underground Utilities.
Patten sat in on many of the student activities throughout the day interacting with faculty and students.
“It’s all about setting an example for the next generation, so hopefully they do the same thing and it carries on. What you do, you want the next generation up to follow so that way it doesn’t only affect engineers but affects the whole community as well,” said Patten.
When asked what advice he has for CET students, Patten said, “Pursue your dreams. Don’t let society limit you or feel like you may be inadequate, you can do whatever you want. The only person that can stop you is you.”