Kandel President Extends Invitation of Membership to All Engineering Undergraduates

by Isabella Chow

	Q: Who are the Kandels? A: The Kandel Student-Alumni Association is the SEAS students' link to alumni. Our goal is to promote relations between students and alumni, students and faculty, and students and students. Membership is open to all students of the SEAS. Q: What do the Kandels do? A: A LOT! Last year, we were invited by the National Academy of Sciences to judge the New York City Science Fair Expo. We held several career panels and roundtable discussions throughout the year. We invited guests from all engineering related disciplines to share their experiences with SEAS students. We spent a terrific evening at the Columbia Club in midtown enjoying a tasty barbecued dinner.
Kandel officers and members
	Q: Why join Kandels? A: Well, they say that 80% of jobs are obtained through non-advertised means. That simply underscores the importance of networking on the career front. The average engineering student doesn't have many opportunities to meet with leaders of industry. That's why it is essential that we use the best resource available to us-our alumni. Networking doesn't just mean schmoozing a job out of someone you hardly know. It means talking to people in the fields of your interest, learning more about what kind of responsibilities are involved in their jobs, and perhaps gaining insight into a lesser-known industry or career track. Q: What do the Kandels offer? A: We plan on introducing mentor receptions this year. In the past, we've limited ourselves to one-on-one mentor programs (offered in conjunction with the Center for Career Services) and large "hang-out" dinners where students and alumni of all fields mingled. This year, we want to try having several mini-dinners where a particular major or field will be emphasized. That way, chemical engineering students, for example, can focus specifically on speaking with alumni from Pfizer or Merck. Large dinners are great for socializing, but if interests aren't targeted, they often become diluted in focus. Q: How can students find out more about joining Kandels? A: Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected] or give me a ring at x3-2225. Check out our webpage at http://www.seas.columbia.edu/~kandel. Ask your friends who are current Kandel members. We look forward to increasing our numbers!
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