Image: In fall 2025, the University of Georgia’s School of Computing welcomed a wide range of top-tier companies to campus, strengthening connections between students and industry leaders while preparing the next generation of computing professionals. Organized in collaboration with UGA, the Career Center, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and several student organizations, these visits included recruitment sessions, panels, workshops, and networking opportunities to bridge classroom learning with real-world application. Among the highlights were visits from technology leaders such as Google and Oracle, which hosted sessions on emerging areas including artificial intelligence and cloud computing. Alumni working at major tech firms emphasized the importance of conceptual understanding alongside technical skills. “AI won’t replace the conceptual understanding you develop; it will augment it,” said Sudhan Chitgopkar (BS Computer Science, ‘23), a forward-deployed engineer at Palantir Technologies and UGA alumnus. During the event, he reinforced the value of foundational knowledge emphasized throughout the semester’s industry programming.Aviation and automotive companies, including Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, Toyota, Gulfstream, and Textron, showcased how computational skills are applied to complex systems— from flight optimization algorithms to autonomous vehicle development. Financial and consulting firms such as Raymond James, Ernst & Young, Aprio, and Cox Enterprises highlighted opportunities in data analytics, cybersecurity, and enterprise technology, while organizations like NCR Voyix, Procter & Gamble, Commvault, and McKenney’s focused on software engineering and large-scale systems solutions. Employers underscored that career readiness extends beyond technical precision. Alumni speakers echoed this message during related engagement events, encouraging students to embrace learning through experience.“Mistakes are unavoidable,” said Grant Cooksey (BS Computer Science, ‘16), a staff engineer at Salesforce and UGA alumnus. “Be open to making them, learn from them, and grow.” These themes were reflected in guest lectures, hackathon-style challenges, and capstone projects, where students collaborated with industry partners to develop hands-on solutions through team-based problem solving. The experiences enhanced the curriculum by exposing students to professional expectations while building confidence, adaptability, and collaboration skills.Danny Lee (BS Computer Science, ‘18), a software engineer at Google and UGA alumnus, emphasized that students are often evaluated less on perfection and more on their ability to learn and work with others—an idea reinforced through the School of Computing’s emphasis on experiential learning and industry engagement. The fall 2025 semester further strengthened UGA’s reputation as a hub for computing talent, with many students securing interviews, internships, and full-time offers from these interactions. The School of Computing plans to continue expanding its partnerships, ensuring graduates are not only technically prepared and equipped with the curiosity, resilience, and collaborative skills needed to thrive in an evolving technology industry.
