Published: Aug. 18, 2020 By

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown a wrench into the internship and job plans of many CU engineering students and recent graduates. Even so, these steadfast Buffs have been able to overcome all the extra logistical hurdles and uncertainty caused by the novel virus.

ProReady resources can help engineering Buffs overcome delayed start dates, rescinded job and internship offers, unexpected swaps to remote work and everything in between.

鈥淵ou shouldn鈥檛 have to navigate this alone,鈥 says Ben Weihrauch, senior director of student professional development for the college. 鈥淏eing persistent and resilient, along with widening your job search targets, will be key in navigating the current hiring market.鈥


Gabriella AbelloAfter graduating from CU in May, Gabriella Abello spent the summer weighing all her options. Graduate school? Find a job? Something else entirely?

Though the pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty in her life, it鈥檚 also given Abello time to consider what she actually wants to do in her life.

鈥淚f this wouldn鈥檛 have happened, I would鈥檝e just taken the first job I got and started at an engineering firm and just kinda gone with the next steps and that鈥檚 totally fine,鈥 says Abello, who studied architectural engineering and environmental design. 鈥淏ut the pandemic has allowed me to slow down and think, 鈥極K, what do I really want?鈥 I know that I want to be an engineer, but what else do I want and what direction do I want to go?鈥

Ultimately, Abello decided to enroll in graduate school in Denmark, where she studied abroad as an undergrad. She was accepted to the Technical University of Denmark, where she鈥檒l begin work on a master鈥檚 degree in architectural engineering in January.听

Though her plans are now firmed up, Abello tried to approach the unexpected downtime caused by the pandemic with an adventurous outlook 鈥 she opened herself up to new ideas, new opportunities and new paths that she may have otherwise overlooked. And she鈥檚 glad she did.

鈥淲hat everyone needs right now is patience with themselves and everyone around them,鈥 she said. 鈥淵ou just have to get creative with what you want to do and make time for yourself.鈥