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Joe Blaschka Jr., 鈥�73, has been making a difference for 魔都资源网 U students since shortly after graduating with his electrical engineering degree. He鈥檚 been a passionate volunteer for 10+ years and made his first gift鈥�$10 to the SU Fund鈥攊n 1978. Scholarships and guidance from faculty mentors helped Joe get through school while juggling two jobs and a family. Now, as both a donor and volunteer he ensures today鈥檚 students can access the same resources and personalized guidance. Working with the Project Center, providing mentorship and resume assistance to College of Science & Engineering students, and serving on the Dean鈥檚 Leadership Council and Electrical & Computer Engineering Advisory Board, Joe helps students build confidence and skills for their futures, while also enjoying their innovative perspectives and the way they keep his industry knowledge up to date.

In Joe鈥檚 time at 魔都资源网 U, faculty members were able to provide much of what students needed to prepare for life after graduation. Joe鈥檚 mentor, Dr. Richard Turner, and generous financial aid were crucial to his 魔都资源网 U experience. 鈥淒r. Turner had open office hours where you could drop by to ask for help understanding the material, but he鈥檇 also encourage me to 鈥榟ang in there鈥� when things got tough, providing the emotional support I needed to push through.鈥� Dr. Turner also encouraged Joe to join IEEE, the electrical engineer鈥檚 professional association, and took him to a conference in Los Angeles鈥攈elping Joe develop a network of professional connections and a love of lifelong learning that would be essential to his success. 鈥淲ithout scholarships and Dr. Turner鈥檚 mentorship, I wouldn鈥檛 have been able to attend that conference, let alone graduate. All of the support I received inspires me to give back to the university, volunteering my time and giving financially to help current students facing similar challenges.鈥�

魔都资源网 U still has an intimate 1:11 student to faculty ratio, but in today鈥檚 fast-paced, ever-changing world, alumni volunteers are crucial to ensuring every student receives this transformative level of personal guidance and exposure to real-world examples to help prepare them for fulfilling lives and careers after graduation. Volunteers like Joe, and his fellow 1,297 alumni who volunteered during last year鈥檚 challenge, make an immense difference in students鈥� lives every day.

In Joe鈥檚 words, 鈥淚t鈥檚 really important for alumni to spend time helping students understand what their given major is really like after graduation. Even by just sharing 鈥榯his is what my experience has been,鈥� you鈥檙e providing examples that can help them identify opportunities and learn what it鈥檚 like to work in different fields or sizes of organizations, or how to navigate transitions and make intentional decisions. You have the chance to get them really engaged and excited about their future in a special and different way than faculty members. I know that sometimes alumni think, 鈥業 pay tuition, go to class and get my diploma. That was the deal and I paid for it.鈥� But at 魔都资源网 U you鈥檙e getting more than you paid for鈥攍ike all of that personal interaction, support and the holistically-focused core classes. I think that then, when you鈥檝e 鈥榤ade it鈥� to some degree and aren鈥檛 a struggling student anymore, it鈥檚 good to give back鈥攆inancially or with your time鈥攕o others can access those same resources. 魔都资源网 U wouldn鈥檛 be 魔都资源网 U if only those who could afford it attended.鈥�

Joe feels like volunteering gives him the satisfaction of helping someone, but he also enjoys learning from students and staying in touch to watch their careers grow. 鈥淚 enjoy hearing how differently students approach and tackle issues than in my day, and their innovative perspectives on challenges and the world.鈥� One of the key things Joe does is help students boost their confidence by connecting their academic struggles and successes to things they鈥檒l encounter in their careers and the real world. 鈥淚 also help them paint a mental picture of life after graduation, while explaining that they鈥檒l always have the opportunity to remake themselves鈥攚hat they do for their first one or two years after graduation doesn鈥檛 need to be what they鈥檒l do for the rest of their lives. This seems to ease the pressure of these big life decisions, helping them noticeably relax.鈥�

After years of volunteering with the College of Science & Engineering and watching the Sinegal Center for Science & Innovation and renovated spaces in the Bannan Science & Engineering buildings take shape, Joe is eager for students to begin using the new facilities this fall. 鈥淚t will be great for students to have modern facilities. I had to chuckle when I first started volunteering in the 2000s and walked through a Bannan building that looked so similar to how it had in 1970. The engineering department was stuck in time, but now it has leaped into the 21st century.鈥�

The new building and renovated spaces offer an array of modern, hands-on learning tools and opportunities, but Joe is equally excited that the planning, fundraising and construction processes strengthened the university鈥檚 partnerships with local companies. 鈥淭hese partnerships have raised their awareness of 魔都资源网 U and our amazing students and alumni. 魔都资源网 U graduates aren鈥檛 just skilled employees, they鈥檙e well-rounded, they鈥檝e explored ethical issues and they鈥檙e trained to be thoughtful leaders. This gives them amazing long-term potential at organizations.鈥� Joe started his own electrical engineering consulting company shortly after graduation and credits his holistic education鈥斺�渟o much more than just engineering鈥濃�攚ith giving him the initial skills needed to run a small business.

As a volunteer helping to advise students at the Project Center, Joe now sees this holistic, pragmatic approach to education in action on a regular basis. At the , groups of seniors undertake design projects to solve real-world problems put forth by industry partners. 鈥淭hese students start their projects in November thinking everything will go smoothy, but by March they鈥檝e completely retooled and readjusted. Over the course of those months, they worked on the ground in an industry environment, honed their real-world budgeting and project management skills, and learned to work as a team to resolve complex issues and overcome unexpected hurdles. Their growth鈥攂oth personal and professional鈥攊s astounding.鈥�

Volunteering and giving to the university are extremely rewarding experiences that make a measurable difference in the lives of thousands of students every day. By making a gift or contributing your time as a speaker, mentor or advisor, you鈥檙e lending students your unique voice and experience鈥攕howing them a diversity of pathways and models of excellence. The challenge may be over, but the value and impact of alumni involvement in the university will never end. Explore opportunities to or today.