David Robusto ’19

Where are you currently living? I am currently living at home in NJ until I move to Pittsburgh in August to start my master's degree.

What are you planning to do with your degree? My immediate plans are to continue my education at Carnegie Mellon University in their MS: Public Policy & Management - Data Analytics program. Longer term, I want to help create high technologies that have a large potential for societal good. For example, technologies like assistive robotics, the Internet of things, and autonomous vehicles have the ability, if designed and implemented properly, to increase access, equity, and otherwise empower people.

How did participating in Immersion Week impact your career path? On the one level, Immersion Week opened my eyes to dozens of new career paths and gave me the skills and confidence to engage with the professionals we were meeting in a way that would help my future career. But on a whole other level, by connecting me to the nation's capital and introducing me to these people who care so much about the world around them, it instilled a lot of that passion in me. That passion has always drawn me back to a societal-focused career and largely influenced my decision to attend graduate school.

Any advice for potential Immersion Week participants/future SU students? My biggest piece of advice is to be open. Be open to all of the visits because even if something doesn't sound like it would be interesting or related to you because you never know what might resonate or spark that passion. But also, be open to the people you will meet. The alumni and professionals at the dinners and networking events are only there because they want to talk to you; if you ask they will do whatever they can to help you.