The Toppel Awards has become a very special occasion and tradition at the University of Miami. The awards recognize outstanding students, faculty, staff, employers, and recruiters for their commitment to career education and personal career development.
One of the highest honors, the Student Group of the Year Award, went to the University of Miami College of Engineering (CoE) student chapter of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) for their depth of involvement, breadth of impact, large number of active members and diversity of activity.
Toppel presents the Student Group of the Year Award to one student group for their support of the mission and values of the Toppel Career Center within the calendar year.
Led by their President Mizelle Hornilla, the IISE CoE student chapter is one of the most active student organizations in the College – hosting guest speakers and panel discussions, creating career fair prep events, attending conferences and offering certification courses. They have hosted more than 10 companies and speakers at the University of Miami including a panel from members of the IISE Professional Chapter. The organization created a mentorship program that pairs underclassmen with upperclassmen and created a “Career Fair Prep” event hosted with Toppel for all College of Engineering students. They attend the regional student conference and the Annual International Conference of IISE, where they compete each year in the Technical Paper Competition & the Video Contest, and host an annual Six Sigma Certification Course for students and alumni at the University of Miami offering students an additional certification to enhance their career preparedness.
“The students have accomplished astounding feats in service of providing professional development to its members and students at the College of Engineering,” said Nina Miville, assistant professor of practice in the Department of Industrial Engineering. “All of these activities provide industrial engineering students a robust set of activities to enhance their professional development and prepare them for their careers.”
In addition to enriching students’ academic experience, the IISE student chapter provides opportunities for 'Cane engineers to hone their skills and solve real-world challenges.
The Toppel Awards were created to honor and recognize the significant achievements of others including students, student groups, administrators, faculty, employers and recruiters. The career development of students does not rest solely on the Toppel Career Center. Toppel partners with amazing career champions across and beyond the University of Miami campus.
