All aboard the Penguin Alumni Business Tour

Left to right, Angie Chan, Nary Sin and Rad Lozovoy, Clark Engineering students, learn about the Vancouver engineering consulting firm MacKay Sposito, during a business tour.

Engineering alumni, students, faculty and staff gathered in the waning days of February for the first of what’s planned to be many, Penguin Alumni Business Tours. The February 26 event took place at MacKay Sposito, a consulting firm on the east side of Vancouver.

Clark’s Alumni Association is the brainchild behind the tours with the intention of highlighting local businesses owned and operated by Clark alumni. Plus current students get a change to network with professionals currently working in the community.

Damon Webster, vice president of design at MacKay Sposito and Clark Engineering alumnus, shared with the group how Clark helped shape his career. He advised current students to ask lots of questions and keep up on new and emerging technology in the field.

Webster also led a fascinating presentation on the kind of engineering feats his company regularly undertakes. From civil engineering to landscape architecture, MacKay Sposito specializes in energy, public works and land development—three areas that many students at the tour expressed an interest in exploring.

The walls of the firm are lined with photos taken by staff members that feature construction sites in progress, to a sunny shot from Mt. Rainer.

MacKay Sposito has been in Washington for more than 40 years and currently employs 110 individuals, many whom are Clark alumni. And the name placards on the office doors even look familiar—because these professionals also teach in the Engineering department at Clark. Vancouver really does have penguins everywhere!

Left to right, Damon Webster, vice president of design at MacKay Sposito and Clark Engineering alumnus, takes Myla Matson, Angie Chan, Max Savenok and professor Carol Hsu, on a tour of the firm.