As students prepare for their post-graduate careers, they often look to mentors to guide them on the foundational steps of their journey.  

Several UConn College of Engineering undergraduate students were recently given the chance to make in-person connections with talented alumni and industry leaders. 

The 2025 “Engineers Getting Connected” event brought together students, alumni, college leadership, and industry innovators on October 7. Undergraduate students were able to ask professional alumni for their advice on entering the workforce after graduation. 

The undergraduate students invited were recent scholarship award winners. 

Student and alumni attendees first enjoyed a brief question-and-answer session between two notable undergraduate students and two alumni. 

Bernard Gracy is a member of the UConn Engineering advisory board. He is the EVP and Chief Digital Officer at Monotype. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from UConn. 

Jeanine Armstrong Gouin is an alumni representative on the UConn Board of Trustees. She is the president of SLR International Corp. She holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UConn. 

Both Gouin and Gracy are UConn Academy of Distinguished Engineers inductees. 

Gouin and Gracy were asked questions by mechanical engineering student Brian Machado and environmental engineering student Grace Mastalli-Lowther.  

Machado has been involved with several student organizations, including Engineers Without Borders, Delta Tau Delta, Engineering House Learning Community, and the Gaelic Athletic Association. 

Mastalli-Lowther has been involved with the Society of Women Engineers, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the UConn Master Gardener Program. 

Both students intend to graduate in May. 

Machado and Mastalli-Lowther asked the alumni how their career has surprised them over the years, what opportunities they wish they took advantage of while they were still at UConn, and any general parting wisdom they would give to a captive student audience. 

Following the question-and-answer session, students mingled with several other alumni in the audience. Students spent a few minutes with one alumni, before rotating tables and meeting another alum. 

More pictures from the event are available online.