The experiences of three College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET) students was at the heart of a recent NIU Today feature on securing internships, part-time roles and full-time jobs.
Ally Coker, Angelica Sanyal and Matthew Vanderwater shared insights from successful summer internship experiences that came about after the 2025 CEET Job and Internship Fair.
The path, they say, starts with coming to fairs ready to share your strengths, understanding how those strengths might mesh with the company you’re meeting with, and having a genuine conversation where you seek to learn more about a business and its needs.
A junior mechanical engineering major who interned for Danfoss in Loves Park, Coker urged students to “find a company that aligns with your values and learn how they are impacting the community.” Then, if time permits, submit an application before the fair, she said.
Vanderwater, a senior industrial and systems engineering major who interned at G&W Electric in Bolingbrook, urged fellow Huskies to “be your passionate self.”
Sanyal, a junior industrial and systems engineering major who interned at International Motors in Lisle, noted how “CEET has given me opportunities to develop both the technical and interpersonal sides of being an engineer and I definitely saw the value of that during my internship.”
NIU is in the thick of job and internship fair season: the CEET Job and Internship Fair this past Tuesday drew 64 companies, including Fermilab, Collins Aerospace, Woodward, Danfoss, UL Solutions, International Motors and Motorola Solutions.
It was the largest turnout for an engineering fair in over six years and company representatives praised students’ qualifications, preparedness and professionalism.
The series of fairs at NIU culminates with the All-Majors Internship and Job Fair that will include 100 companies and other organizations from 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 30 at the NIU Convocation Center.
To learn more about the three featured engineering students’ internship journeys, see the story at NIU Today and the DeKalb Patch.
