Madeline is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics. She has Co-op'ed at TI and has served as the VP for APES and the VP of External Affairs for SWE. She also is involved with the campus ministry, community council, and the engineering recruitment office.
The Co-op program here at SMU is the way for you to get started on your professional career before you even graduate. This is important because it can help you decide what you want to do after you graduate while helping you get valuable experience and recommendations from many reputable companies.
For many students, the Co-op program serves as a great way to get paid well for a full time job related to their academic major or career choice and to have the choice of working during any part of the year. At many other schools, you have to fit within their schedule. What this normally means is that you are either limited to interning over the summer, or you have to work part time while you are also working on your studies. The Co-op program, however, gives you the opportunity to experience an extended period at a company of your choosing while not having to worry about academics. This allows you as a student to focus on getting used to the new work environment so that your time spent there is worth it.
This past summer I had a 12 week Co-op at Texas Instruments working in the design and manufacturing of semiconductor packages and thermal characteristics of semiconductors. It was a great experience to see how the things you learn in class can be applied in the professional field, and I cannot stress enough just how valuable of an experience it was.