Book Buying Guide for PSU

Kristen's WEPO 2011 Group w/ Their Design Project

Hi!  My name is Kristen Myatt and I’ll be a Rover for WEPO ’12!  I’m so excited!

So, in the summer before my first semester (just last year!) I was so worried about the textbooks I would have to buy.  Which ones do I need?  Where do I get them?  When do I need them by?  I asked my WEPO mentor all about it, and after two semesters I realize that it is nothing to stress over.  Don’t worry, we’re here to help!

Which books will I need?

Okay, so after you schedule with FTCAP you can go to www.elion.psu.edu to view your schedule and find what books you’ll need.  Follow this sequence: elion -> student schedule -> select “Fall 2012” and “Course Detail”. Right below the list of your classes, on the right, there are two buttons.  Click “Select All”, “Confirm Selected Books” and “Submit to Penn State Bookstore”.  Don’t worry, it’s not going to order the books automatically! It’ll just show you what you’ll need for your classes.  Not all classes need textbooks, and you don’t need to buy all of the books it shows.  Some are required and some are just recommended.

Where should I buy them?

I know it looks like it would be really easy to buy the books online where the list is being displayed (as described above), but I have to recommend that you do not buy the books online here. It’s nice to know what you’ll need, but they tend to be overpriced. Don’t worry, they will still have all of the books you need when you get to Penn State.  Just buy them when you get to PSU, in person.  In fact, WEPO will give you a card for a 10% discount at one of the local stores (Student Book Store)!  You can get your mentor to go with you if you’re nervous J

When do I need them by?

You do not need to get them over the summer. But you should aim to have your books by around the third day of class, or at least by the end of the first week. Since you’ll be new, you may want to go as soon as WEPO ends so the store isn’t too crowded and you don’t feel too overwhelmed.  After your first day of class, your teachers may say you don’t actually need the book so be sure to keep the receipt so you can return them.  If you want, you can just wait until the end of the first day of class to go get your books, but the stores become VERY crowded and the lines become very long.  The bottom line is, you don’t need the books right away so take your time and ask for help to make sure you get what you need.

I hope this helps!  J

~Kristen Myatt

Kristen is a sophomore in Chemical Engineering. She is a rover for WEPO 2012.

Landing an Internship

Summer Internship in 
Arizona with Intel

Hi Ladies!

First, I would like to congratulate all of you on your acceptance to Penn State and into the College of Engineering.  You should all be excited for this amazing journey ahead!  When I was an incoming freshman, I wasn’t aware of all the opportunities engineers have, and I would like to share one of those with you to give you a jump start on shaping your future.  This incredible opportunity I’m referring to is the chance to gain real world experience through an internship.

                I know you’re probably thinking, “Internship?  I haven’t even started college yet.”  Although this is true, becoming an intern isn’t out of your reach.  A bunch of my friends found internship positions after their freshman year, and I regret not looking into getting one at the time because they are an important part of the engineering college experience.  By the time you are a senior and seeking a full-time job, employers are going to be looking for the candidates who are not only outstanding students, but also those who have stepped up and applied their knowledge during an internship or co-op.  Co-op is probably not a term with which you are familiar.  A co-op is a longer internship, typically around 6 months.  They are a great opportunity to make a huge impact at a company.  I co-oped for Johnson & Johnson from June 2011 to December 2011.  I am currently working as a summer intern at Intel Corporation.  These are the things YOU will have an opportunity to do!  Not only will you gain valuable work experience and build your resume, you will also make new friends, network with professionals, and get paid.  What’s not to love about this?! 

                If this sounds like something you want to do, I have a few tips for you.  Attend the fall career fair and networking receptions.  You’ll have your first opportunity to do this at the WEPO career dinner so you’ll already be a step ahead!  Some companies accept freshmen and others do not.  Don’t get discouraged if you don’t have luck in the fall.  There is an engineering specific career fair in the spring where many freshmen are accepted for internship positions.  Another way to get an internship would be to call local companies around you and ask if they would accept an intern for the summer.  Many smaller companies would be thrilled to bring you aboard even if they’ve never had an intern work for them, and the experience will be well worth the search.

                Get excited, ladies!  Live these next few years to the fullest and take advantage of the opportunities that are out there.  You won’t regret it.  I look forward to meeting you at WEPO ’12!

Fawn Romanko is a senior in Industrial Engineering. This summer  she is interning with Intel in Phoenix, AZ. Fawn is a mentor for WEPO '12.

Why come to WEPO - The Local's Opinion

Dear future WEPOteers,

I want to tell you about my personal experience with WEPO and I hope that it will show you why you MUST come to WEPO! I grew up in the State College Area and decided to major in engineering my senior year. I didn’t look into many orientation programs because I figured I was from the area and didn’t really need to learn much before starting my fall semester. I heard about WEPO through a friend and as soon as I told my mom, she signed me up. 

This might sound familiar to some of you, and I figured that I would at least get to move into the dorms early so it wouldn’t be too bad. Once I got to WEPO I already knew a few students because I had done the engineering LEAP program, but the knowledge and friends I made during WEPO have immeasurable value! I learned even more about campus and the amazing resources the College of Engineering has to offer. 

Even though everything that I learned throughout WEPO gave me a lot of great tools to get started, the asset that I have used the most since WEPO are the people! I met people not only in my group that I was with every day, but from all other majors. I am still friends with all of my WEPO group, and I have met even more people through their friends. 

If you’re thinking that WEPO won’t be that great, or that it isn’t worth forking over your 3 last days of summer, you could not be more wrong!! If you give WEPO a chance I promise that you will love it!!!

Sign up and learn more about WEPO here before June 9th to secure your spot! Space is limited. See you there. =) 

Amy

Amy Szabo is a fifth year in Mechanical Engineering. This summer she is completing her third internship rotation with DOW Chemical. Amy is the Professional Development Session Overall Lead for WEPO '12.