An Insider’s Look at the Student Co-op Experience
Jasper Chappell at his WHOOP co-op in the Fenway section of Boston (Photo by Matthew Conde)
This morning, a Wentworth Institute of Technology student might be helping to swap out anesthesia machines in a Massachusetts General Hospital operating room. Another could be redesigning the user interface for a global financial trading application at State Street. A third is potentially running tests on the next best-selling air fryer for SharkNinja.
At Wentworth, this kind of hands-on professional work is a core part of the curriculum. For 50 years, the university’s (cooperative learning) co-op program has served as the ultimate bridge between academic theory and professional reality. Long before they toss their graduation caps, Wentworth students gain real-world experience, building a resume—and a future—that sets them apart.
We spoke with several students on their Spring 2025 co-ops to see what they’ve been up to, and to ask what their experience has meant for them.
Building, Testing, and Coding the Real World
At Keurig Dr. Pepper, Industrial Engineering student Luis Leins plays a critical role in the supply chain. A typical day for him starts at 8:00 AM with an important routine: "checking the inventory, checking the schedule, making sure that we're getting our deliveries for cans, bottles, raw material." His job is to ensure accuracy and efficiency from start to finish. "Really making sure everything we receive is correct,” he said, “from the bottle caps and wrappers to the actual soda."
Leins helps ensure that the right products in the right amounts are delivered to distribution centers across the country, a logistical puzzle with real-world consequences. "A minute or an hour of downtime," he noted, "we lose more time afterwards for production."
In the high-stakes world of finance and technology at State Street, Data Science student Bradford Washburne is deeply involved in the company's Global Link fintech platform.
Working on the shared product services team, Washburne assists his manager with testing and data analysis for user-facing applications that handle logins and onboarding. But he is more than just an assistant; Washburne has been given ownership of a specific application. "I manage the feature, which is the trade reporting application. I do the UAT (user acceptance testing) there and have worked on a few projects to redesign the GUI (graphical user interface)."
The fast-paced environment at SharkNinja has Gianna Cameron, a Mechanical Engineering student, constantly learning. "I have made test protocols while I'm here," she said, a task that requires a deep understanding of the products. "For example, with the air fryers, instead of using an axial fan we use a centrifugal fan. You have to understand the specific properties of a fan to even begin designing a valid test."
Cameron’s work involves sophisticated equipment, including "a lot of DAC (digital-to-analog converter) machines, a lot of temperature controlling equipment," as she helps the company take products from concept to market in six months.
Designing for People: Creativity and Impact
For students in design-focused majors, the co-op experience is a chance to see their creative ideas take shape and solve real-world problems.
At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Interior Design student Quincy Bolduc is focused on how physical spaces impact well-being. "We do a lot of space planning, event planning, and then we'll also do work order projects," she said, adding that she has created schematic designs, surveyed spaces in need of renovation, and drew up diagrams and elevations, among other tasks.
A major project involves planning for the hospital's future growth. "We've been asked to make graphics so people can visualize how large our new building will be compared to our current buildings." This process involves detailed analysis of rentable square footage versus gross square footage to strategically plan where departments can move as the hospital expands.
For Bolduc, the work is deeply rewarding. "I see the hard work [happening at the hospital] and I just want to make this experience for both the patients and the nurses better," she said.
Jasper Chappell, an Industrial Design student at the health-tech company WHOOP, is working on the next generation of fitness products. "I’m working on accessories that will be released in the next couple years," he said, which includes everything from "soft goods" to accessories involving the WHOOP wearable device itself. His process is a mix of digital and physical work. "It's a lot of CAD, a lot of 3D modeling, lots of rendering," he explained.
But what Chappell really loves is the hands-on part. "I get to do packaging prototypes for the products that I'm also designing, which is really cool,” he said. “I get to prototype the actual products with our in-house tools."
A Foundation for the Future
This level of responsibility and hands-on experience does more than just build a resume; it builds confidence and clarifies career paths.
At Massachusetts General Hospital, Emily Saunders’ role in clinical engineering is exceptionally varied. "I have assisted in swapping out new anesthesia machines for the hospital for the ORs, getting them prepared to be used by the clinical staff, making sure that they're in the documenting system," she detailed.
When not working on major equipment installations, Saunders shadows technicians. "They allow me to come with them to and from the ORs to help fix equipment,” said the Biomedical Engineering student. “They also show me how to do preventative maintenance on different devices." This immersion has confirmed her passion for the field.
For many, the co-op program is why they chose Wentworth.
Bolduc says the co-op program was her "biggest take away" when she was deciding on a college. "When I heard about what the co-op program was, I was really drawn to that," she said.
"It was one of the reasons why I actually chose to go to the school," said Leins, who saw the two co-ops requirement as a way to "get ahead of everybody else."
This is the fifth in a series of features celebrating 50 years of co-op at Wentworth, exploring the individuals and partnerships that have made the program a cornerstone of the university: