ENGINEER YOUR FUTURE: Graduate School as a Career Strategy:
1/2 Day STEM Graduate School Workshop
ENGINEER YOUR FUTURE. Come with questions. Leave with a strategy.
Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 12:00–4:00 PM
Northeastern University | O’Bryant Center: 40 Leon Street, Boston, MA 02115
KNOW WHERE THE MARKET IS GOING. PREPARE TO BE THERE.
Artificial intelligence is transforming the engineering workforce and changing the skills employers value. Graduate education can be more than another credential—it can be a strategic pathway to specialized skills, research opportunities, professional networks, funding, and emerging STEM careers. Join engineering and STEM students, graduate admissions professionals, faculty, and industry leaders for an afternoon of candid insights and practical strategies for navigating the path to graduate school.
PROGRAM
12:00 PM | CHECK-IN & LUNCH
Arrive. Check In or Register On-Site. Grab a Plate. Relax.
Take a moment to think about your questions—we’re here to help you navigate your next career steps.
12:30 PM | THE STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE
Graduate Education in an AI & Skills-Based Economy
Moderator: Michele Lezama, President & CEO Emeritus, NACME, Inc.
Fireside Chat Keynote: Dr. William J. Tomlinson, Director of AI, Plymouth Rock Assurance
How is AI changing the engineering workforce? What skills will matter most? Explore how graduate education can help position STEM students for emerging opportunities.
1:30 PM | GET IN. GET FUNDED. Graduate School Admissions & Funding
Graduate Admissions Counselor Panel
Moderator: Dr. Marcus A. Huggans, President, IEEE Eta Kappa Nu
Invited Panelists:
Boston University • Northeastern University • Tufts University • University of Connecticut • University of Rhode Island • Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Get an inside look at what graduate admissions professionals are looking for—and practical strategies for strengthening your application, personal statement, recommendations, research interests, and overall candidacy. Discover strategies for financing graduate education, including fellowships, assistantships, scholarships, research opportunities, and other sources of support.
2:45 PM | VOICES FROM THE FIELD: Real stories. Real decisions. Real insights.
Hear directly from STEM professionals about their journeys from undergraduate education to graduate school, research, and STEM careers.
Moderator: Dean Richard Harris, Associate Dean and Director, NUPRIME
3:45 PM | CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF SERVICE
Join NEC-STEMP as we celebrate 20 years of partnership, STEM opportunity, and advancing pathways to graduate education and STEM careers.
Formerly Massachusetts Consortium of STEM Programs (MC-STEMP)
Northeastern University, University of Rhode Island, University of Connecticut
