Team Mentoring Program trip opens students’ eyes to new career possibilities

While many of their peers spent spring break relaxing on a beach or visiting with family, a group of Washington State University Pullman STEM students learned how airplanes are made and wine is produced, where new coffee products are created, and cutting-edge brain research is taking place.

The 19 STEM students took part in a trip organized by WSU's Team Mentoring Program (TMP) which took them to Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, a Boeing production facility, the Allen Institute, the Starbucks Tryer Lab, the Alaska Airlines hangar and headquarters, and SEA Airport, commonly known as SeaTac Airport. Several of the students called the trip an eye-opening, if not life-changing, experience.

"Not many people get an insider's look inside these industries and their world-renown facilities like we did, and we got the chance to talk with some of their workers," said Sarah De Santos, a junior majoring in biology. "It was a very special opportunity."

TMP is a program in Student Affairs that provides critical support for a cohort of students majoring in STEM and pre-health fields. It partners with the Colleges of Agriculture, Human, and Resource Sciences (CAHNRS); Arts and Sciences; Veterinary Medicine; and Engineering and Architecture to provide participants with student and faculty mentoring, as well as opportunities to learn leadership and build professional networks. The program is supported by gifts from Boeing, Alaska Airlines, and the Washington Research Foundation.

Every year Sammy Rodriguez-Flecha, TMP director, organizes one trip in the fall and one in the spring with the goal of exposing students to careers they may have never thought about before. Their multi-day tour took them inside the world's largest manufacturing building where they saw the experimental 777X being assembled, state-of-the-art flight simulators, cutting edge research labs, and they went behind the scenes at one of the nation's busiest airports. Just as impactful as seeing the impressive facilities was getting to meet people who work in them. Some are WSU and TMP alums.

"Many of these people have similar life experiences as our students, and for the students to see they have meaningful and successful careers, they can start to see themselves in their shoes," Rodriguez-Flecha said. "It boosts their drive to be successful."

That is certainly the case for Ainsley Lonsbrough, a junior majoring in neuroscience. Lonsbrough always had a strong interest in research, but did not know what she could make of that interest until she visited the Allen Institute.

"I'm not the type of person who sees a clear picture of my future and readily invests in myself," Lonsbrough said. "But seeing the Allen Institute made me realize I want to work there, and it is something I will fight for now."

Not always a linear path

Lonsbrough's excitement for her future is an indicator the trip had its intended impact, but she and the other students were told to be prepared for a few curves in the road ahead.

"What they heard from many of the people they talked with, it wasn't a linear path the from college to the job they are doing now," Rodriguez-Flecha said. "It might take a while to get there, but if the students are passionate about something, they should stay focused and persistent, and their dream job is achievable."

While earning a college degree is an essential piece, it isn't the only thing students need to focus on while in college. The workers encouraged the students to build communication skills, gain experience working in teams, and develop leadership skills by participating in clubs and volunteering in the community.

"These are steps I can definitely take and will work on during the time I have left at WSU," said Kevin Rodriguez-Delgado, a computer science major.

As a first-gen student, Rodriguez-Delgado never thought he could someday work with cyber security at a company like Boeing, until this trip.

"Many of our students may not have realized these places exist, and if they did, never thought they would be able to visit let alone work in them someday," said Rodriguez-Flecha. "They now have a network of alums and others who are eager to help them reach their goals, and they feel part of large Cougar family."