Dr. Kate Abel selected as 2009 co-op faculty advisor of the year

HOBOKEN , N.J. – Dr. Kate Abel, Director of Undergraduate Academics, and Engineering Management Programs at Stevens Institute of Technology’s School of Systems and Enterprises, has been selected as the 2009 Co-op Faculty Advisor of the Year. Abel was formally recognized for her dedication to advising co-op students within her academic discipline at a luncheon held during the first week of March. Abel is happy to receive the award, having enjoyed the “frequent interaction with students … and watching firsthand the intellectual and professional development of students throughout their time at Stevens.”

Started in 1986, Stevens’ Co-op Program has grown annually to include more than 600 students and 150 co-op employers. The success of this academic program is built on the capabilities and enthusiasm of co-op students; the challenging work assignments provided by co-op employers; and the student-centered, team approach of the co-op staff.

At Stevens, cooperative education is seen as first and foremost a powerfully effective educational process. The co-op experience is built on a theory/practice model of learning that unfolds through five increasingly progressive work assignments. In addition to the educational benefits, co-op helps students confirm their choice of discipline, clarify their career goals, and earn a salary to pay part of their college expenses.

Employers are an integral part of the process and they value their participation. Companies hire co-op students for their ability to contribute to current operations and for their potential as full time hires upon graduation. Most co-op employers seek to hire students semester after semester which is a strong testament that participation is worth the effort. In the field of Engineering Management, employers include regional manufacturing and utility companies, consulting firms, financial services, and supply and distribution enterprises.

About the School of Systems and Enterprises

Utilizing an Open Academic Model, the School of Systems and Enterprises at Stevens emphasizes global partnerships in Systems and Enterprises-related research and edu cation with industry and government. The SSE offers several program options in the areas of Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, Infrastructure Systems, Financial Engineering, Software Engineering, Enterprise Systems and Space Systems Engineering, including graduate certificate options, seven master’s degrees and three doctoral degrees.

The School of Systems and Enterprises brings together faculty who are industry experts and practitioners, researchers and academics, to deliver programs that are highly relevant and academically rigorous.

Tailored to the edu cation and competency needs of practicing professionals, the School offers its graduate programs in convenient and flexible delivery formats including intensive one-week modules and traditional semester formats. SSE courses can be taken on-site at corporate and government locations throughout the world, online via Stevens award-winning WebCampus, and on-campus in Hoboken , N.J.

For more information, please contact: Beth DeFares, Director of Outreach and Communications, Babbio Center, Room 517; (201) 216-5362; Fax: (201) 216.5080; bdefares@stevens.edu.

About Stevens Institute of Technology

Founded in 1870, Stevens Institute of Technology is one of the leading technological universities in the world dedicated to learning and research. Through its broad-based curricula, nurturing of creative inventiveness, and cross disciplinary research, the Institute is at the forefront of global challenges in engineering, science, and technology management. Partnerships and collaboration between, and among, business, industry, government and other universities contribute to the enriched environment of the Institute. A new model for technology commercialization in academe, known as Technogenesis®, involves external partners in launching business enterprises to create broad opportunities and shared value.

Stevens offers baccalaureates, master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering, science, computer science and management, in addition to a baccalaureate degree in the humanities and liberal arts, and in business and technology. The university has a total enrollment of 2,150 undergraduate and 3,500 graduate students, with about 250 full-time faculty. Stevens’ graduate programs have attracted international participation from China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America. Additional information may be obtained from its web page at www.stevens.edu.  

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