Last month, Meline Kevorkian was officially named the new dean for the College of Computing and Engineering. Kevorkian has been interim dean for the college since July 2018 and has since hit major milestones for the college and its students.
Kevorkian’s proudest moment and the largest accomplishment under her leadership was receiving the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). This accreditation meant a tremendous deal to not only the faculty in the college, but the students as well.
Kevorkian expressed, “It’s just a nice way of having an external group recognize that what your doing for the students and what your providing them is right on track.”
Kevorkian looks forward to supporting the students in the college and the rigorous work that is involved in the program.
“The exciting part is that we are able to provide support to help students get through those rigorous programs and go out and get great jobs and work in a field they want to work in.”
Additionally, Kevorkian and her staff have their own goals for the college as well. Through grant funding, the college plans to build a student center where students in the college can go to study and have access to software required for their courses and the advancement of their academic career. The plan is to have the center open by next fall. Long term, Kevorkian aims to just stay innovative and on the top of her game, especially when it comes to modern technology.
“Making sure we are on the cutting edge of new technologies and things that are happening at a rapid pace so that our students are really prepared for the workforce,” said Kevorkian.
The College of Computing and Engineering has a high focus on ensuring students are ready in numerous different areas for whatever future careers they choose. The college has facilities in the Mailman Hollywood building called the Cortex Labs, which stands for Center of Opportunities Research Technologies and Experience.
As Kate Gittleman, Director of Stem Initiatives and Outreach, explained, “Students are learning the skills in the class and then we’re supplementing with additional soft skill development, like building your brand, interviewing skills and resume [building.] We’re trying to take those skills they learn in class and give them a place to apply them in the real world so they can be career-ready.”
In addition, the faculty from the College of Computing and Engineering put a large focus on students finding internships and experience in their desired fields. Kevorkian and Gittleman mentioned how the students who end up graduating from college have plenty of job offers, with some students having more than one due to the students being confident in their skills. The College of Computing and Engineering provides an area of opportunity for students to explore where in the world they want to go and apply their knowledge. Kevorkian also said that the college offers numerous courses that non-computing and engineering majors can take during their open electives that would be extremely beneficial to whatever career they plan on going into.
Photo: B. Oxford
