A new distinction from Northrop Grumman Corp. could make the job search for graduate engineering students a little easier.
Cal State Long Beach’s College of Engineering has been selected by Northrop Grumman Corp. (NGC), the aerospace industry and defense giant, as a Core University Partner, a distinction that solidifies a partnership to create more opportunities in the field for students.
“Due to the value the company sees in us — particularly in recruiting talent —they [NGC] gave us something that distinguishes us from other universities,” Dean of the College of Engineering Forouzan Golshani said.
The designation places the College of Engineering on a list of about 25 preferred educational partners that NGC relies on for resources and a future workforce, according to Golshani.
Golshani said that NGC will now look to CSULB before other institutions, not included on the list, for recruiting. He also said the school will be considered first to receive scholarships as well as research and development projects and philanthropic donations.
NGC selected the College of Engineering for the list because the university has continuously played “a key role in generating the knowledge, innovation, and talent required to maintain and increase [NGC’s] global competitiveness,” according to a statement from NGC.
Golshani said NGC has had a long-standing relationship with CSULB’s engineering program. He said the College of Engineering was also presented with Boeing Corporation’s Supplier of the Year Award in 2012.
“These relationships are central to helping us educate students, to be up to date with what the industry needs and to help us shape new talent,” Golshani said.
According to Golshani, NGC’s distinction means greater job opportunities post-graduation for engineering students.
“When you’re a core partner, [NGC] sends recruiters to your campus and the distinction makes it easier for our college to work with the company on various initiatives,” Golshani said. “Generally, they see us as a partner.”
Saud Alkhunayn, a freshman engineering major and international student from Saudia Arabia, said he was excited about the distinction from NGC because it could help him in the future.
“[CSULB] is popular for engineering for a reason,” Alkhunayn said. “If someone wants to hire me, they’ll see where I got my degree from, and that will help me get the job.”
Other students, such as freshman engineering major Rodolfo Cervantes, said they were glad to be in CSULB’s engineering program.
“Since there is so much competition out there, I definitely want to work hard to make the most of this opportunity,” Cervantes said.
According to Golshani, the corporate connections forged by such distinctions have allowed many CSULB engineering graduate students, such as Chris Hernandez, to secure executive positions in major companies.
Hernandez, a CSULB alumnus, is now vice president of advanced systems for NGC. He said via email that collaborations of diverse groups, such as that between CSULB and NGC, are essential to corporate America and that the university prepares students well to engage in the industry.
Golshani said that the College of Engineering looks forward to building upon the partnership with NGC to further strengthen the college and provide more opportunities to students.
