CASE Center unveils industry-friendly internship program that will benefit both companies and students

CASE Center unveils industry-friendly internship program that will benefit both companies and studentsApril 21, 2006Kelly Homan Rodoskikahoman@syr.edu

The CASE Center of Syracuse University is introducing a new and innovative internship program that is specifically crafted for students with advanced skills in engineering and technology. The program was born out of the center’s ongoing strategic evaluation of the needs of New York state industry, as well as the need to create opportunities for the wealth of high-level student talent available at the University.

The program will be particularly industry-friendly, and was crafted with a view toward providing the best value to companies of all sizes, with the least amount of administrative burden. The primary target student population consists of graduate students in SU’s L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS). It is also anticipated that graduate students in other applied technology fields, as well as a select group of highly skilled undergraduates, could take part in the program.

“One of the key benefits of the program is that it opens up a large group of international students for work with regional companies,” says Shiu-Kai Chin, SU professor of electrical engineering and computer science and director of the CASE Center. The large majority of graduate students at ECS are international students, and strict legal regulations limit the ability of these students to work outside of the University. The program bypasses this limitation by arranging to have companies pay the students through SU. An additional benefit to companies achieved through this mechanism is avoidance of the time and expense of payroll administration.

Despite the University paycheck, the program allows for company control over student work responsibilities. And the company makes its own salary decisions. Employers have the option of employing students at their own facilities or having work done at the University. Internships will be set up in short-term increments — starting at the beginning of fall, spring and summer semesters — and there will be flexibility for continuing internships beyond the initial period should employers and students wish to continue the relationship.

CASE has hired David DiMaggio to act as manager of the new program. DiMaggio brings to CASE a wealth of relevant experience in student recruitment, career advisement, training and leadership program development, program management, sales and sales management, and general business management. He has worked in both university and corporate settings.

DiMaggio had a 25-year career with General Electric and held various high-level positions with the company, including his most recent position as manager of education and development at GE Supply. His responsibilities in that position included the development and implementation of training and professional leadership programs for more than 2,500 employees. He was responsible for recruiting and university relations at several colleges and universities across the United States and was the recipient of the Jack Welch CEO Award for Outstanding University Relations in 1995.

DiMaggio’s expertise and experience will allow for a program that provides screening for specific skill sets that might be required by an employer and the ability to mentor students both before and during the internship experience. One important facet of the program will be to provide employers with a contact person during the course of the internship, and be post-internship evaluations will take place with both employers and students. “Over time, we would hope to see full-time hires occurring as a result of this program,” says CASE Associate Director Roger Trabucco. “This fits well within the CASE mission of promoting technology development for New York state.” CASE also anticipates that the development of a strong internship program for engineering students will serve as a recruiting tool for SU.

The CASE Center is a New York State Center of Advanced Technology supported by the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR). The mission of the CASE Center is to be a key contributor to the state’s high-technology economy by providing access to the resources of Syracuse University and collaborating with state businesses and economic development organizations. CASE operates a high-technology incubator, manages joint university-industry applied research projects, and provides workforce development educational opportunities within a broad information technology focus area.

Internship positions for summer 2006 are currently being filled. For more information on the CASE Center internship program, contact DiMaggio at (315) 443-5018 or ddimaggi@syr.edu.