Testimonials

UPOP was the single most influential program to my career at MIT. I had no sense of how to take charge of my career, understand the corporate hierarchy. UPOP inspired me to want more from my education, my internships and my career.

Without the internship UPOP preprared me for, my career path would have been much less rewarding and it would have taken longer to get to where I am today. UPOP provided me with the skills to be a competitive candidate.

UPOP: it's the start of an amazing adventure learning about business.

(Drew Houston ’05 was an early UPOP alum)

The UPOP program taught me what's expected of me in the workplace, and how I can make the most of a career in engineering through effective communication and active leadership. UPOP is unique because of the high level at which it requires active participation in team problem-solving, as well as communication with industry leaders. UPOP is important for engineering sophomores because it gives them exposure to industry expectations, and skills that will help them in their career development.

I am a proud UPOP alum. I cannot overstate the impact UPOP has had on my career development. UPOP provided me with the skills to harness the full potential of MIT's classroom education. I have learned so much about how to create effective résumés, prepare for interviews, and succeed in a work environment. UPOP's staff was always willing to stop whatever they were doing and answer my questions, whether it was about answering a particularly tricky interview question, sending appropriate reminder emails to recruiters, or helping me to develop my talking points. The UPOP staff was always there for me, beyond my sophomore year, with advice on negotiating and professionalism.

UPOP totally changed my career path. The skills I got in UPOP helped me land an internship as a sophomore that is usually reserved for seniors. UPOP opened my eyes to the effect of management on engineering.

UPOP puts engineering knowledge into context in the real world. It gives sophomores the opportunity to see the pressures of the "real world" while they still have a chance to incorporate those lessons and ideas into their studies.

UPOP got me my first real internship—and my first real interview, at that—and it got me through my first brush with recruiters, job fairs and the otherwise overwhelming business of finding employment.

UPOP has taught me about professionalism. The staff were encouraging, not judgmental. They showed me how to get the best out of mistakes. The "Six Hats" simulation has helped provide different kinds of insight at administrative meetings, and the concepts of robustness in engineering and redundant systems have helped me to understand how emergency response plans are designed at a community scale.

The skills I learned in UPOP allowed me to get the job I thought I wanted when it wasn't even being offered to anyone. UPOP turns awkward geniuses into employable engineers and leaders!

UPOP was one of the select programs I chose to commit time to because the program coordinators are among the nicest, most helpful people I have met on campus in terms of career advising. When I needed to renegotiate acceptance deadlines for internships, UPOP staff helped me work out which offers would suit my goals better, and coached me on how to negotiate with companies tactfully and professionally. Whenever my friends have asked me tough internship questions I couldn't help with, I have always referred them to the UPOP office, citing its open-door policy. I have learned how to handle applications and internships gracefully with the help of "office hours" at the UPOP office.

Through UPOP, I learned tons about the job industry from true professionals, and gained confidence from all of the many practical UPOP sessions. I was able to land my "dream" internships, and am now working at that company full-time.

UPOP was one of the most valuable experiences of my MIT undergraduate career. Until I did UPOP, I lacked the self-confidence and know-how necessary to truly be productive and advance in the business world. The UPOP IAP workshop in particular was invaluable to me. Prior to IAP 2008, I did not understand the value of networking, and I could not even begin to understand how it was done. In a mere week, I was transformed from bumbling undergraduate to confident engineer, and I continue to benefit from the lessons I learned during my UPOP experience.

The UPOP experience really provided a perspective that you can't get out of most classrooms. UPOP's workshops are work-place relevant and effectively presented. I especially liked the seminar about presenting to an audience, and I continue to use the lessons learned from that exercise today. 

UPOP really opened my eyes to the dynamics to expect within the corporate world.

UPOP was a great experience for me because it provided me with very applicable knowledge about how to network, find a job, get a job, and even how to act professionally. The hands-on participation nature of the program really allowed me to apply these concepts so that I would remember and act on them, rather than listen once and then forget like in other programs.  I think it gives valuable perspective to Sophomores by bridging the gap between classes and the real-world work environment.  UPOP differentiates itself from other programs in that the organizers  all make a great effort to give personal feedback and attention to every UPOPer.

UPOP provided me with the structure to start thinking about career goals and made me much more confident with everything from cover letters to resumes to interviews. The best part was meeting many other students and facilitators who all were motivated and interested in discussing careers and figuring everything out together. 

The UPOP program is one of the most important programs for MIT engineers to be involved with. While MIT does a fantastic job at teaching students the technical skills and problem-solving skills, there are few opportunities to develop other skills that are absolutely necessary in industry and in life. Without UPOP, I would probably still struggle with simple tasks like writing a résumé, a cover letter, reaching out to employers, and even thank-you notes! I really appreciated the opportunity to get professional advice on ways to conduct myself and develop a resume to be competitive as a sophomore when applying to internships.

I was most grateful for the assistance UPOP provided in finding a summer internship--not only the contacts with a large amount of people in the "real world," but particularly the schedule and assistance for all the steps of the process: revising my resume, searching for internships, and preparing for interviews. I have also found all of the UPOP staff to be remarkably energetic, helpful, and interested in each student even beyond the course of the program.

In the past, I had always been afraid of the term "networking." The concept of taking initiative and meeting professionals was intimidating. Since being in UPOP, I've become more comfortable with meeting potential employers. The mock sessions were essential for me to practice using the skills I learned in UPOP with confidence. Using my UPOP experience, I was able to walk up to the chairman of a research company and introduce myself. As a result, I eventually accepted a wonderful summer internship overseas in Singapore! The time and effort of both the UPOP staff and MIT alums, who volunteer their time to mentor current students, have contributed greatly to my MIT education. Thank you!

I can't say enough of what the UPOP program has been to me: first, it brought into perspective the various skills required in industry practice, that are often assumed to be tacit e.g communication skills and teamwork. Second, is the wealth of resources provided by the UPOP staff as far as alignment with a potential employer, industry etiquette, elevator pitching and advice on pretty much everything in the course of the internship. Last and definitely not least, the UPOP program helped me segue into the Bernard M.

Participating in the inaugural session of UPOP in 2002 helped me to realize just how much I needed to develop a broad skill set to be successful in my future career. UPOP filled the void that our very theoretical engineering curriculum does not adequately address, helping MIT sophomores develop the skills that they need in order to find internships and eventually permanent employment after graduation. Since graduating, I have helped UPOP by conducting mock interviews for students in the program. By interacting with these students, I have been able to hone my communication skills and learn from them, as well.

UPOP made me a lot more comfortable going into the "real world" as a sophomore. It also taught me bits of useful context about jobs that I won't do, but should understand. Most importantly, the UPOP office was an amazing resource for me when I was figuring out internships, adn the IAP program made me comfortable talking to people there, and also gave me a common knowledge base.

I have noticed a difference in the way I approach business situations since going through UPOP. There are many little things that have come up in my life that I've felt comfortable handling because of the good ideas I received in UPOP—how to word an email to a potential employer, how to prepare for an interview, or how to best discuss disagreements or uncomfortable topics with a coworker or employer. More generally, I learned a lot about the way employers think, what they look for in employees, and how to take advantage of this knowledge in the workplace. I think there are few other ways to receive this information at MIT, especially not in a convenient package like what UPOP offers.

I still remember the things that I learned at my UPOP workshop back in January 2004. It was pretty much the only time in my MIT engineering career when a group of smart, cool, and well-spoken professionals sat down with us students and explained how we need to sell ourselves in the "outside world". The "elevator pitch" exercise is something that I STILL find myself explaining all the time to friends who are trying to get job interviews.

UPOP emphasizes that communication, teamwork, and personal skills are very important if you wish to succeed as an engineer. This is a great contrast to the MIT-imbued attitude of "if I can build it, they will come." Great engineering skills are only a small part of what it takes to succeed in the real world, and I think it's important to have a program at MIT that focuses on developing and raising awareness about other aspects of life that are just as important in determining one's career success.

UPOP is one of the most extraordinary programs MIT has to offer to its students, and plays a vital role in launching their professional careers. UPOP is unique as compared to other academic programs because it integrates what we would call MIT's best: the distinguished alumni and their network, employers and businesses drawn together because of MIT's reputation, and the engineering acumen of MIT with effective leadership and communication skills, and most of all the expertise of faculty who have worked in both academia and industry. It is fair to say that a similar program would not succeed and thrive at any other university as it has at MIT.

UPOP definitely helped a lot of my friends (phi delta theta had a ton of upop'ers), so I think it is an extremely valuable program. It perfectly complements the MIT education and contributes a ton of career value.

Through UPOP I was able to secure an internship with Apple, a year earlier than would normally be possible. I was also extremely pleased to be the recipient of a $2000 grant when Apple was given a UPOP Excellence Award that year. As a result, I continued on at Apple for an internship after my Junior year. That I was able to secure such a prestigious job opportunity so early has opened many doors for me since that time. Although I have since changed careers and am now graduating from law school, those internships with Apple have helped me gain entrance to a top law school and secure a well-paid job at a top law firm upon graduation.

I strongly endorse this program. This program provided me with substantial motivation during my sophomore year at MIT. The UPOP curriculum and summer Internship gave me a taste of the Engineering Industry that continues to motivate me today. I honestly cannot imagine where I would be today without the education from UPOP. 

UPOP has helped me a lot not only in my sophomore year but also now. I totally enjoyed the talks/lessons UPOP brought to me. Being in UPOP, I had the opportunities to meet many wonderful people. I really hope other MIT students have a chance to benefit from UPOP like I did.

I still remember the things we learned, especially how to communicate our ideas effectively through figures and words. I had a lot of fun and made new friends. Most importantly, I started thinking about the skills I would need to be successful in the real world. The world isn't exactly a bigger MIT - it requires us to develop a different set of skills. UPOP also enabled me to do a summer internship with the Department of Fish and Game in California. I consider that to be my best internship because I was able to combine my technical knowledge and practice communicating with people of diverse backgrounds.

UPOP not only trains students to be more aware of the communication biases that come with being more technically focused, but it also is a program that advocates for these talented sophomores. Without UPOP, many students would not have the same impressive resume of experience that UPOP helps build. Particularly in this economy, I would imagine that these sophomore experiences lay a critical foundation and validation for the strength of MIT candidates in the full-time job-search process. Because of the training I received in UPOP, I was also able to share that with a larger audience and present a workshop on technical communication styles at the 2006 IAESTE National Conference.

UPOP is a really good program. I think the biggest benefit for me was that it enabled me to work at a startup. UPOP helped me find a startup opportunity suitable for it, walked me through what to expect, gave me academic credit for it (which as an international student I needed for work permits) and provided a stipend since startup opportunities don't really pay. It also made me more professional for my summer experience.

UPOP has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me at MIT. From taking this program in my sophomore year to working in the UPOP office itself, UPOP has become a large part of my life and has changed the outlook of my future. As a sophomore, engineering to me was purely a word and set of calculations; but as I continued in the program I learned that being a successful engineer included effective communication, innovation, persistence, and tough decision-making. During the IAP program session, I was able to actively learn, perform and refine these skills in a relaxed and fun atmosphere along with my peers and under the supervision of an industry mentor.

UPOP was one of the best programs that I did at MIT. It was through UPOP that I got my summer internship, learned how to use many job search engines and how to network with company representatives. Additionally, the workshops that we did during UPOP (example: engineering team, the boss and the financial team trying to reach a decision with different goals in mind or at the job site, having troubles communicating with your boss about your abilities) were incredibly helpful since during my first summer internship, a lot of those scenarios actually happened at work, and I was already prepared to deal with them.

UPOP was a tremendous experience. Not only did UPOP help get me an internship designing carbon fiber baseball bats at Easton Sports (Van Nuys, Calif.) but the skills I learned during the program have been invaluable though the rest of my career at MIT. During my junior and senior year I continued to work with the UPOP staff as an assistant during the IAP course. My fondest memory of my time with UPOP was the mentorship and friendship gained by their 'Open Door' policy. The entire staff is always willing to help a student with career advice, internship opportunities, or a simple piece of candy. It truly was one of the best parts of my MIT experience.

UPOP was one of the things that had set my MIT education apart from those of my friends in other engineering schools. (During the summer after sophomore year, they were working as babysitters or cashiers while I had a research internship at Xerox.) The key is that UPOP got me thinking about a career path early on, and that put into perspective why I was going through this rigorous academic environment. Also I learned many things that helped me get more out of my first few work experiences.

UPOP jump-started my career. The UPOP team helped me get my first technical internship, even though my qualifications were slim. Besides teaching interpersonal skills, it showed me that there are many different ways to incorporate my engineering background to the real world. Currently, I have a managerial role in the IT department of a construction supplier. Away from work, I work for my community as an adviser to a high school colleg- bound program and as a board member on a foundation that finances school and health projects. I owe a debt of gratitude to UPOP for having me seriously consider what I wanted to do post-MIT and for what I'm doing now, which I love.

If it weren't for the UPOP staff,  I don't think I would have landed on a summer internship easily. I think the program teaches some important fundamentals that MIT students stereotypically don't have. MIT students have the technical skills but have problems getting their foot through the door in industry. MIT is a good place for people who want to go into research and academia, but it doesn't prepare us for industry very well. UPOP emphasizes the importance of summer internships and industry experience. Being years out of school, on the other side, it's really hard for me to recommend to hire someone who doesn't have industry experience, even if they're from MIT.

UPOP definitely enabled my early career  and opened up internship opportunities that were critical in developing contacts and skills for future employment.

I could not believe how much I learned in just the first day of the intensive workshop in January. By the time the week was over, I had made connections that I know will continue to benefit my career. The program propels students into a position where they are knowledgeable about effective teamwork, planning and project management. It has been crucial to my career-building efforts. I recommend the program to all sophomores.

I fully credit UPOP with changing the way I thought about entering industry and working as both a leader and as a scientist, and not just as a smart brain from MIT.  One my strongest memories from my time at MIT was during UPOP, when the concept of engineering specifications was first introduced.  That was like a wake-up call for me: that working as a scientist in industry was different from learning as a scientist in academia.

I think they should make UPOP a requirement in order to graduate! I owe so much of my career to UPOP ... I had almost nothing on my résumé before UPOP, but afterwards it was filled with experiences from large companies to startups. Now that I'm an employer, thank you to UPOP for continuing to inspire students to reach their full potential. The students are incredibly well-prepared and well-spoken.

UPOP gave me the confidence to overcome initial obstacles to my dream internship at the New York Times. Now, two years after reading UPOP's email announcing the NYTimes internship posting, I'm graduating MIT with a double major in computer science and comparative media studies, a concentration in engineering leadership, industry experience under my belt, and a full-time job at a company where not only can I explore all my academic interests, but they make me a valuable asset to the industry. I wouldn't be in this position without UPOP, and for that I am forever grateful.

UPOP was beneficial to me because of the jumpstart it gave to my career. I studied chemical engineering but wanted to spend a summer exploring business / finance.  UPOP helped me gain experience the summer after my sophomore year, which then helped me gain an IAP externship in another company my junior year, leading to my summer internship after my junior year where I was given a full-time offer. I have been working at the same company since I graduated four years ago, and I love what I do. I thank UPOP for helping put me on the road towards finding a rewarding career that I am passionate about and where I can apply my engineering skills in a unique way.

UPOP gave me a priceless first exposure to the difficulty of team building and the challenges of a great leader. It made it clear that the skills you need for problem sets and those you need to be successful in industry, can be very, very different.

To make a lasting impact on industry and world, you need to be able to apply your technical abilities and convey your ideas through interpersonal skills. That's where UPOP comes in. The IAP week-long workshop was my first experience with the type of decision-making and crisis management that is a crucial element of today's business environment. We learned how to respond to changing situations, work together with a team, and make data-oriented choices under high-pressure situations.

UPOP was one of the first experiences at MIT that exposed me to the need to be thinking about the 'business" side of things and not just technical solutions to problems. The exercises on learning to deal with conflict and managing technical and business constraints together were invaluable. And while some other programs (e.g. Leadershape) were just as critical and formative for me, the opportunity to network with alums from industry while still a sophmore was the other main differentiator for UPOP.

I just wanted to say that UPOP was amazing. It helped me in my job at Goldman Sachs while I was there for two summers. I wouldn't have had that opportunity if I didn't have UPOP.

I enrolled in UPOP during the first few years of the program's operations. I was a Sophomore January of 2005, and I had no idea how to interview, make a resume, let alone find a summer internship. I enrolled in UPOP because one of the upperclassmen I spoke to said that they helped her learn how to interview. I thought this would be an extremely valuable way to spend my IAP. I was completely blown away. Their staff, their curriculum, and their open door policy was exactly what I needed. They taught me how to interview, they helped me build my resume, they talked about what to look for in an internship and the different resources that were available for students.

UPOP was one of the most useful things I did at MIT. Many MIT students believe that they're here to spend their time learning as much academics-related information as possible. But those are the students who need UPOP the most. UPOP teaches all of the things you don't learn in a classroom but desperately need for any career you pursue - team-building, communication, presentation skills, professionalism...the list goes on. A year into my career, I'm using UPOP-learned skills as much as or more than the technical skills I developed at MIT. While this is particularly true for the field I'm in, even someone in the most technical of positions will need UPOP skills.