The Bridge

ASCE Dallas’ New Younger Member Recruitment and Retention Program

February 2021

by Jonathan Brower PE | Editorial Committee
^{Associate, L.A. Fuess Partners}

The ASCE Dallas Branch kicked off 2021 with a new program called “The Bridge” which is specifically geared towards the needs and wants of Student Members and Young Members alike. The sessions will include multiple topics such as: what are employers REALLY looking for in employees/interns, tips and tricks into the programs that companies are using for design, and story sharing from Young Members and how they have built the foundations for their careers in civil engineering.

The Bridge program is also intended to provide useful and relevant information to younger members about transitioning from college to the workforce to help bridge the gap between school and the professional industry we plunge into after graduation.

January’s “The Bridge” program was hosted by ASCE Dallas YM Chair Samantha Vail and ASCE Dallas Branch Director Nick Phillips. ASCE Dallas Branch President-Elect Ed Penton PE, presenting on “Organizing Resources for the PE Exam” followed by a Q&A panel of recent test takers to answer any question on their experiences taking the PE exam. The panelists were Phillip Alcorn PE, Daniel Diaz, Samuel Ewing, Hosna Mousavipour, and Blake Thrower. A recording of this program has been posted to the Dallas Branch YouTube Channel here:

The February 2021 program of “The Bridge” featured guest speaker Mark Van Andel from Jacobs Engineering Group showcasing the “Basics of Negotiation” including terms, types, and preparation techniques for negotiating that can be applied to many real-world situations including the workplace. ASCE Branch Director Nick Phillips also presented a demonstration of the ASCE Salary Survey.

March’s Bridge program will discuss the ins and outs of virtual meetings.

The Microsoft Team meeting invite link is below! This link will be used to access the panel discussion:

“The Bridge”: Virtual Meetings 101
Monday, March 8, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Join on your computer or mobile app:
>> Click here to join the meeting

View recordings of previous “The Bridge” programs here (https://www.youtube.com/user/ascedallas/videos).

The Dallas Branch is very excited about this program and wants to extend an invite to all TexASCE Student Chapter and Younger Members for all future events! Follow the Dallas Branch on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook for future info and announcements about The Bridge Program.