Rachel Mangiavellano is proud to be a Spartan. Born and raised in the Okemos area, she attended Michigan State University for her undergraduate and master’s studies. Now, she serves as an advising specialist on the College of Engineering career team and is excited to guide students through their college experience.
Mangiavellano appreciates the variety her job offers. Her main role is to prepare and connect students to experiential education opportunities where they apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-world situations, but you will also find her advising students, planning and executing events, and connecting with employers from across the country.
“Our office bridges the gap between what students learn in the classroom and their professional opportunities,” said Mangiavellano.
Engineering students can utilize career services for assistance and an array of support, ranging from resume help to practice for interviews.
“We help students explore career paths, develop job readiness skills, and build professional connections to find their first professional opportunities in the form of internships and co-ops,” she said.
Mangiavellano said the motto she applies to her work is, “Experiential education is as much about learning what you want to do as it is about what you don’t.”
Students often have a vision for the career path they would like to follow but change course after experiencing it for the first time. Mangiavellano says this is exactly what experiential education is all about: providing students with opportunities to try a variety of companies, roles and experiences to determine what their ideal career looks like.
Mangiavellano found her ideal career at MSU.
“MSU has always felt like home, and I love being part of the MSU family. The community, the beautiful campus, and so many other aspects make MSU an awesome place to be!”
Mangiavellano joined MSU in 2013. She earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing and master’s degree in higher, adult, and lifelong education at MSU.
Written by McKenzie Schrah, a student writer in the Marketing Communications office of the College of Engineering
MSU College of Engineering Media and Public Relations page