Industry and Alumni Engagement Opportunities
Industrial & Systems Engineers Make Change Happen
The Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering continuously drives change in healthcare, manufacturing, and business by preparing the next generation.
Your contribution makes a difference.
Invest in the department today!
How You Can Support ISyE
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that Industrial and Systems Engineering employment is projected to grow by 11% to 12.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This high-growth field, driven by technological innovation and supply chain needs. Our students and faculty are ready to help by implementing the latest research and innovating techniques to optimize where your company needs it most!
Check out all of the ways you can be a part of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering:
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Become an Industry or Advisory Board Member
ISyE hosts two Advisory Boards - the Industry Advisory Board and the Alumni Advisory Board.
Industry Advisory Board
The ISyE Industry Advisory Board commits to building relationships with and seeking input from the broader community, and helps the department develop strategies aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of its teaching, research, service, and outreach.
Alumni Advisory Board
The ISyE Alumni Advisory Board provides input to help the department create strategies to improve its teaching, research, service, and outreach from an academic and professional perspective, and is dedicated to engaging with the wider community, gathering their feedback, and executing steps to improve.
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Become a CSE Mentor
Each fall, more than 200 CSE students are matched with industry professionals who provide valuable career information, insights, and strategies. The CSE Mentor Program is one of the largest of its kind at the University of Minnesota. ISyE students seek your mentorship to guide their coursework, internship search, and career development.
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Give a One-Time or Recurring Gift
A one-time or recurring financial gift will support a student scholarship, recruitment event, faculty research, department initiative, and more! Your support provides the opportunity for a student and faculty to pursue a field of study that you - and they - have grown passionate about.
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Sponsor a Senior Design Project
ISyE seniors apply everything they have learned in the Senior Design course. Students collaborate in small groups in an effort to tackle real-world problems in projects proposed by ISyE industry affiliates. Consider this option as a way to engage your entire company.
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Sponsor a Master's Capstone Project
Each year, ISyE masters students in the Data Science in Operations Research (DSOR) program apply materials they have learned in coursework to their Capstone project. Students collaborate in small groups in an effort to tackle real-world problems in projects proposed by ISyE industry affiliates who are seeking deliverables related to in-depth analysis, generate insights and recommendations, and deliver solutions.
Contact course instructor William Cooper for additional information.
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Engage with ISyE Student Organizations
Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE): UMN-TC Chapter
The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers is focused on students interested in Industrial and Systems Engineering. IISE is a national organization that supports the education and creativity of students pursuing this field. The goal of the group is to create a fun learning community consisting of professional development, problem solving, creative projects, site visits, networking and outreach. Industry sponsors, such as ExxonMobil, Accenture, and West Monroe Partners, co-host events with IISE and help to fund general meetings.
Learn More About IISE: UMN-TC Chapter
Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS): UMN-TC Student Chapter
The INFORMS (Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences) Student Chapter at University of Minnesota is a student group affiliated with the INFORMS organization and Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Students in the UMN-TC chapter of INFORMS are interested in using mathematical modeling, statistical analysis, optimization, and other analytical methods to optimize decisions for complex industrial systems. They are committed to the academic, social, and professional motivation of its members. As enrichment opportunities, the group regularly organizes coding workshops and invites well-known professors and professionals from operations research and management science fields to give talks on their research. Additionally, this group also holds practice presentations for conferences, social events, and company site visits.
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Additional Industry Collaboration Opportunities
Learn more about all of the ways your company can contribute to the success of ISyE students and faculty! This document contains - in full detail - various opportunities for you to explore.
Industry and Alumni Partner Award Recipents
Industry Partner Award
The Industry Partner Award honors a partner who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering through meaningful collaboration, strategic engagement, and sustained support.
This award recognizes someone who has become a trusted partner in shaping the future of the department—working alongside faculty and students to strengthen academic programs, enhance applied learning, and connect classroom theory with real-world practice to help prepare students to thrive in industry.
More than a supporter, this partner serves as a catalyst for progress—offering insight, resources, and leadership that contribute to innovation and continuous improvement within the department.
The Industry Partner Award celebrates a collaborative relationship that drives measurable impact, fosters innovation, and creates lasting value for students, faculty, and the broader engineering community.
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Past Recipients
2025-2026
- COMING SOON
2024-2025
- Brian Naslund
- Kyle Stahl
2023-2024
- Eric Ayenegui
2022-2023
- Brent Kellum
- Jeremiah Johnson
Alumni Partner Award
The Alumni Partner Award recognizes outstanding graduates of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering whose sustained engagement, generosity, and collaborative spirit have made a transformative impact on the department and its community.
Through meaningful collaboration with faculty, students, and leadership, these partners have helped strengthen academic programs, expand experiential learning opportunities, and build bridges between industry and the classroom.
Whether by sponsoring student projects, mentoring future engineers, supporting research initiatives, or championing strategic growth, honored alumni have played a pivotal role in driving positive change. Their commitment reflects not only pride, but a deep belief in investing in the next generation of Industrial and Systems Engineering leaders.
The Alumni Partner Award celebrates a legacy of partnership—one that exemplifies leadership, service, and an enduring dedication to making a lasting difference in the department.
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Past Recipients
2025-2026
- COMING SOON
2023-2024
- Bonnie Baumgartner
Alumni and Industry Events
Alumni News
As a member of the second graduating class of ISyE undergraduates in 2016, ISyE alumnus Alex Stroh recalls the impact that ISyE had that helped him become the person he is today, both personally and professionally.
ISyE alumna Jessica Thorne shares moments from her time in the ISyE IDP program that have now seeped into her everyday career.
Now the Director of Mechanical Engineering and Advance Engineering for Critical Handling Solutions (CHS) at PAR Systems, Sam Boraas shares how the M.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering in the Systems Engineering track degree was immediately applicable and valuable in his career.
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Additional Updates or Questions?
For more information, please contact an ISyE professor or Emily Rice at [email protected].