Career Conversations Take Center Stage at Annual Students and Alumni Leadership Dinner

The College of Sciences honored Boehringer Ingelheim as its 2026 Internship Employer of the Year during the Students and Alumni Leadership Dinner, an annual event designed to foster meaningful connections between alumni and students.

“There is incredible power in alumni stories,” says Susan Lozier, dean of the College of Sciences and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair. “It’s inspiring for students to speak with alumni in the workforce, hear how they landed their first jobs, and learn from their successes — and their setbacks.”

Claire Haskell (Mathematics 2025) recently obtained her first job with Deloitte and attended the dinner to offer perspective to current students.

“I want to reassure students still in school that, even in today’s uncertain times, getting a job is still really doable and not as out of reach as it seems. Meeting Tech alumni is a great first step.”

A Night of Networking

College of Sciences Career Educator Program Manager James Stringfellow and Director of Alumni Relations Leslie Roberts organized the annual signature career event.

“We put on events like this because we want all of our students ready for their next opportunity,” says Stringfellow.

Second-year psychology major Aleena Sange attended the event for the first time, and says she will be back next year. “The alumni were really helpful and reassuring,” says Sange. “I learned what employers look for in a resume and even received advice about contract negotiations and retirement.”

First-year astrophysics student Shannon Callahan agrees. “What struck me the most was hearing how well Georgia Tech prepares you for the workforce. It gave me a lot of confidence to hear that Tech alumni hit the ground running because they’re used to learning quickly.”

The evening included casual and more structured networking, with students rotating between tables on topics such as “Using AI in the Workplace,” “Handling Conflict,” and “How to Get Hired in the Real World.”

Janessa Rowland (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences 2014) works as an operations program manager for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. She encouraged students to think beyond their major

“Sometimes an internship or class outside your major can open up the door for what you can do after Georgia Tech.”

Morgan Foreman (Psychology 2017), a technical product manager at IBM, offered encouraging insight: “People often tell you college is the best years of your life. Georgia Tech also sets you up for your dream life after college.”

2026 Internship Employer of the Year

During the festivities, Stringfellow announced Boehringer Ingelheim as the Internship Employer of the Year. The award honors a company that provides a high-quality learning environment for student interns. 

Arya Akbarshahi, a biochemistry major who spent a semester doing a co-op job at the company, presented the award, thanking the biopharmaceutical company active in both human and animal health for the learning experience provided.

“Co-oping at Boehringer Ingelheim was one of the most formative experiences in my training. From day one, I was trusted as a scientist, which allowed me to formulate hypotheses and execute experiments with direct implications for drug development strategy and decisions,”  says Akbarshahi. 

After presenting the award to Boehringer Ingelheim Senior Scientist Marc Sprouse, Akbarshahi also presented a surprise mentorship award to Sprouse.

“Marc was an exceptional mentor,” says Akbarshahi. “He challenged me to think critically about the biology, not just the assay, and consistently created space for me to take ownership and operate at a higher level.”

Sprouse accepted both awards and spoke of the benefits of working while still in school: “Getting real-world work experience while in school sets students up for success. I encourage all College of Science students to check out our website and apply for future co-ops and internships."