The Alumni Magazine for Worcester Polytechnic Institute. (WPI)
Issue link: http://wpialumnimag.epubxp.com/i/114745
news from HIGGINS HOUSE career corner puzzle corner Relevance Sujiken By Connie Horwitz, Associate Director, Career Development Center Y ou might be surprised to learn how often graduating students present their resumes to us for critiques having completely omitted their Interactive Qualifying Project. Sometimes they may keep it there but refer to it as their "junior year project," (their Major Qualifying Project is their "senior project"). When asked why the IQP is not there, the most common response is, "It's not related to my major, so I do not see its relevance." When asked why the real name of the project is not used, they indicate they don't believe anyone would understand what IQP or MQP really means, so they choose a generic project title to be sure employers understand. In this issue of the Journal, several alumni have demonstrated how their WPI education has had great impact on their ability to be innovators and achievers. I encourage you to consider how much your successful transitions and adaptations in the work place owe to the demands of WPI's IQP or MQP. From your Ƃrst year, you were taught to approach and solve problems by working on projects that task not only the skills in your major but the skills required to function effectively on a team. During your sophomore year, you had to work on a project that took you away from your major and into the humanities and arts. Have you ever entertained clients who wish to discuss the last show they saw or a concert they attended, or the painting on the wall? How wise it was for WPI to nurture your ability to step to the right side of your brain power. In your junior year, you had to manage the challenges of the IQP, collaborating for seven weeks on a team of students who are not usually in the same major, (cross-functionality in college!), in solving a real-world problem affecting the community you were in— from Worcester to an African village or Venetian canal site. And when that was done, you returned to tackle yet another project as seniors, the year-long MQP, Ƃne-tuning your professional skills by working on a technical problem within your major, usually sponsored by a corporation, and sometimes patentable! Throughout all of these project years, you were challenged early to share ideas, advocate, take rejection, compromise, acculturate, lead, learn when to step back, make deadlines under very tight pressure, write with clarity, present to audiences at all levels, and communicate clearly with teammates to solve the same problem, even when none of you shared the same major—all while mastering cross-functionality. Lest you forget, these are the qualities you carry with you today—the foundational qualities that make many employers wish they, too, had been educated by WPI. These qualities are as relevant to your career as they were when you graduated. 96 Winter 2013 By George Heineman 9 6 1 4 2 5 Place digits from 1 to 9 in the triangular grid such that 1. No digit repeats in any row, column or diagonal 1 3 7 2 6 9 6 7 5 2. No digit repeats in any of the outlined boxes and triangles 4 3 8 Place digits from 1 to 9 in the triangular grid such that: 1. No digit repeats in any row, column, or diagonal 2. No digit repeats in any of the outlined boxes and triangles PUZZLE ANSWER ON PAGE 94 Sujiken is a registered trademark of George Heineman. Puzzle content © 2013 by George Heineman. All rights reserved. KEEP IN TOUCH Send us your class notes today and share your adventures with classmates at classnotes@wpi.edu