The gift of student success

Focus on preparing students for successful careers embodies donors’ values

If you’re curious about how engaging activities prepare students for success, then walk around the Paul C. Helmick Center on the Arizona State University Tempe campus. You’ll hear students sharing ideas in its collaborative workspaces, participating in student organization activities, mixing with industry professionals, visiting with recruiters and discussing their research.

These student engagement and career development opportunities embody the values of Mary Jo Helmick and her late husband Paul C. Helmick, and motivated her to donate a significant gift to the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU.

Through the years, the Helmicks focused their philanthropy on education to improve society and transform the lives of young people. The Helmick family has always firmly believed that providing opportunities to prepare students for successful careers helps them positively impact the communities where they live and work.

Engaging with student organizations

Student organizations play a key role in student success by providing a much-needed sense of community and extracurricular learning opportunities, says Kristen Parrish, a professor of construction management and technology in the Del E. Webb School of Construction, part of the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment.

“This helps our students do better in school and creates a network of people that will help them as they enter their careers,” says Parrish, who is a faculty advisor for the Advancing Women in Construction, or AWIC, student organization.

About 25 student members of AWIC helped make the Forum for the Advancement of Women in Construction, which took place in the Helmick Center in February, a success.

Kristen Parrish, a Fulton Schools professor of construction management and technology (left), moderates the Forum for the Advancement of Women in Construction in the Paul C. Helmick Center on Feb. 27, 2025. Photogrpher: Lisa Irish/ASU

“Students attended the forum, volunteered to help with food setup and prepared hardhats for our speakers,” Parrish says. “Prior to the forum, students flexed their project management muscles, developed partly at the Del E. Webb School of Construction, to take on various roles during the event ranging from check-in and wayfinding to clean up. One student was on the committee to craft the panel questions.”

Students visit with attendees and panelists after the Forum for the Advancement of Women in Construction on Feb. 27, 2025. Photographer: Lisa Irish/ASU

Industry attendees told her the forum inspired and energized them to take the next step.

“Panelists said they love the energy of the younger generation and are excited to see what they bring to the construction industry that we all know and love,” Parrish says.

Students told her they gained valuable insights from the panelists.

“Hearing what works well for leaders and what they would do differently if they had the chance really helps younger folks see that they too can achieve many of the same accomplishments,” Parrish says.

Students tell her they enjoy AWIC because its events are timely and provide valuable career guidance. Workshops have included resume writing and review as well as negotiating the first job offer.

“The relationships developed in AWIC can be the foundation for students’ professional networks, which will help them to determine where is a good fit and how to handle the myriad of professional situations they’ll face,” Parrish says.

A student meets with a recruiter for Dowl at a career fair at the Paul C. Helmick Center in spring 2025. Photographer: Lisa Irish/ASU

Building bridges with potential employers

Throughout the year, students engage with industry leaders and potential employers in the Helmick Center, says Matthew Eicher, assistant director for student development and industry outreach in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment.

Each semester, students have the opportunity to meet with recruiters from more than 140 local and national companies during two weeks of career fairs.

Before the career fairs, students receive emails listing the companies that will attend, the internship and career opportunities available at each company and links to submit their resumes before meeting with recruiters.

A student meets with recruiters for GCON, Inc. at a career fair at the Paul C. Helmick Center in spring 2025. Photographer: Lisa Irish/ASU

Bringing recruiters to students where they attend classes is a critically important way to assist them as they seek to fulfill the two summer internships required for graduation, Eicher says. He adds that those two internships are a key reason why  Del E. Webb School of Construction bachelor’s degree graduates enjoy nearly a 100% job placement rate after graduation.

Students also receive emails about upcoming visits from industry leaders, opportunities to meet with company recruiters, networking mixers with industry partners and alumni as well as other activities and events to connect with local professionals.

Sharing their research with the community

Earlier this semester, 50 students shared their research findings at the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment’s Graduate Research Symposium, says Melanie Duran, who serves as the graduate academic success advisor coordinator for the school.

Faculty members and Friends of Civil and Environmental Engineering members served as judges to recognize the best graduate research posters. Ten students received cash awards ranging from $50 to $200 that were applied to their student accounts.

A student presents her research findings to Subramaniam “Subby” Rajan, a Fulton Schools professor of civil, environmental and sustainable engineering, at the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment Graduate Research Symposium on Feb. 28, 2025. Photographer: Lisa Irish/ASU

The Graduate Research Symposium provides an opportunity for students to refine their communication skills, showcase their research and build professional networks, says Ram Pendyala, director of the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment and a Fulton Schools professor of civil, environmental and sustainable engineering.

“Presenting their work to faculty members and industry professionals allows students to receive constructive feedback that can strengthen their research, while engaging with fellow students fosters collaboration and the exchange of ideas,” Pendyala says.

Caption: A student presents her research poster and answers questions at the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment Graduate Research Symposium on Feb. 28, 2025. Photographer: Lisa Irish/ASU

The symposium also connects students with potential employers and industry leaders who may be looking for emerging talent.

“Many students have found that these interactions open doors to opportunities while building a sense of community,” says Narayanan Neithalath, Fulton Professor of Structural Materials and graduate programs chair in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment. “It’s a valuable experience that prepares them for success beyond graduate school.”

Students say the symposium boosts their confidence to present complex research to diverse audiences, while faculty members say it helps them discover new research directions and identify potential collaborations

“The symposium is a reminder of our school’s commitment to advancing knowledge that addresses real-world challenges,” Neithalath says. “The graduate students’ research presented at the symposium will shape the future of sustainable engineering and the built environment, and it’s inspiring to see our students leading the way.”

In short, the Paul C. Helmick Center is where students come to thrive and succeed, Pendyala says.