Connection Day 2024!
Thank you all who came out to support out event in 2024!
We do NOT have a college wide Spring event, such as this, as this is a FALL only event.
(The date for Fall 2025 should be posted by May 2025).
Students & Interested Alumni, see below who attended along with the program & opportunities listing!
Location: West Quad Fields
For 2025 Info/Question contact Event Director, Linda Thurman
Our Multi-Industry Connection Day (formerly the Fall Picnic) is an annual tradition perfect for our 3500+ students and countless alumni to establish relationships, network, and discuss career options with engineering and technical professionals from a variety of technical industries.
Interested Employers & Companies, please see below for day of details.
STUDENTS & ALUMNI: Are encouraged to stop by and show the Engineering & Tech Employers why they should hire a 49er! Check out below who has attended for 2024.
(Again for 2025, we will be using Niner Engage for many of the event details.
As always, our event is open to all STEM majors/students, faculty, staff & visiting alumni)
Location: West Quad Fields, (sandwich between the Belk Gym, Arena & Cone Center Building and Parking Decks)
Highlight 2023 Video produced by Renegade!
Employer Parking & Item Drop Off for 2025
Parking: Parking Maps | Parking and Transportation Services | UNC Charlotte (if you need a map or info. on disability parking)
- We will have custom made directional signs on our stake holders directing folks as best as we can to the event parking deck and field.
- Arrival and set up can begin at 8:00 am. We will have student and staff volunteers to help you UNLOAD in the Cone Center parking deck and hand trucks to bring your items down to the field.
- Again, for those who are parking in the Cone TOP LEVEL Deck, we ask that you park and unload after you park. We will have volunteers up there to help you.
- We will also have volunteers help you to your cars in the Cone Deck, once the event ends.
- If you are parking in Union Visitor Deck, please drop off your items FIRST at the field THEN go park.
We will give out the allotted number of parking passes (when we check you in) to EXIT the visitor deck, you do not need one to enter the visitor levels. - Cone Deck and Union Deck (levels 4-6) are your best option. Visitor levels please, they are clearly marked so no worries there.
- South Village Deck (level 1) and East Deck 1 and CRI Deck….offer visitor parking as well, they are a bit of a walk. You can also take our free bus if you want from some of these ‘farther away’ decks.
- There is NO visitor parking available in West Deck-please note that.
The CLT Light Rail also has a terminal stop on our campus, a bit of a walk but we also have a FREE Niner Transit bus service as well that you can pick up at the light rail station and it will get you to the West Quad fields/Cone Center building. To learn more visit: Niner Transit Bus Service | Parking and Transportation Services | UNC Charlotte
See Below for More Event Info.:
We always aim to have a balanced variety of industries represented.
Employers can start arriving typically by 8:00 am for a 9:30 am start and you can go straight to your table.
49er GOLD Level ($1100) 2025
- Only 26 spots at this level
- 10′ x 10′ White Tent *you can bring your own-just let us know
- 6-ft display table with 4 chairs in a premium location
- Can bring up to 4 people
- 2025: A large variety of grab and go lunches for up to 4 people
- 2025: all day hospitality and employer
- Gold-colored table cover and table sign
- Custom-made 49er Gold Recognition Banner to proudly display on your tent
- Pre-printed name tag and college lanyard for each participant
- Alumni Ribbon on name tag
- 4 parking passes for the Parking Decks
- PR, PR, and more PR!
- Company write-up, logo, and website listed in our multi-page event program (electronic and printed)
- Company name/logo on signs and on flat screen TVs in all engineering buildings
- Company name/logo included in all event-related mass emails, and on the college Connection Day website and Niner Engage Platform.
Going GREEN Level ($550) 2025
- 6-ft display table and 3 chairs*
- Can bring up to 3 people.
- 2025: A large variety of grab and go lunches for up to 3 people
- 2025: All day hospitality and employer
- Green-colored table cover and table sign
- 3-Blank name tag and college lanyard for each participant
- Alumni – as always stop by the HQ tent or ask a staff member for your Alumni Ribbon for your name tag!
- 3 parking passes for the Parking Decks
- Company name and website listed in our multi-page event program, on flat screen TVs in all engineering buildings, inclusion in all event-related mass emails, and on the college Connection Day website Niner Engage Platform (new social media tool)
*You may bring your own small (8×8 pop-up tent, however, you cannot stake it into the ground, and it MUST fit in your designated space). *If your tent is larger than this size, we will request you take it down to allow for traffic flow. (For those who violate/d this policy, we will not be able to extend you a future invitation).
You are encouraged to bring a large supply of marketing and product materials to interact with our students, alumni, and faculty. Because the event is located OUTSIDE, you may bring almost anything (short of explosives, weapons, and similar dangerous items) like:
- product samples
- prototypes & equipment
- marketing brochures & business cards
- giveaways & games
These are all great ice-breakers to interact with our attendees! Your employees who are UNC Charlotte alumni are also encouraged to attend as your representatives – they make great connections with our students!
Due to our limited space: we are no longer able to accept company items ahead of time. Please work with your local office or facility about having the items shipped there. *If you do not have a local office or facility, please contact Linda Thurman for options.
***Contact us prior to the event if you plan on bringing exceptionally large items to display as we will need to ensure they are allowed on our fields and we can accommodate you space-wise.*** We are not allowed to bring any vehicles onto the field (per our facilites and grounds dept).
***Reminder: Carpooling is recommended***
- Park only in designated Visitor Parking areas. Cone Deck and Union Decks are the two closest parking decks to the event. This Campus Map will help you with parking options.
- We will give out paid exit passes to participating EMPLOYERS as we check them in on the day of the event. You only need a parking pass to EXIT our decks. See the Benefits section above for the number of parking passes you will receive. Additional parking information will be emailed to employer participants prior to the event date.
- Note: We are not able to provide paid parking passes to students and visiting/guest (non-employer participant) alumni.
We cannot be responsible for parking tickets.
Cancellation Policy:
Contact Ms. Linda Thurman As Soon As Possible if you are an Employer Participant who can no longer attend. Refunds cannot be issued if requested less than ten (10) days prior to the event date. All payments must be received 15 days PRIOR to the event date in order to participate.
Bad Weather Policy:
In case of inclement weather, we will move the event inside. Contact our main office at 704-687-1991 or 704-687-5024 to confirm the decision. If the event is moved inside, some modifications with employer tables/booths will need to be made. We will notify all participants as soon as possible if we have to utilize the indoor space.
Questions or Concerns?
Ms. Linda A. Thurman
Director of Student Professional Development and Employer Relations,
Student Professional Development Advisor and Co-op Coordinator
William States Lee College of Engineering
Office: Smith Building, 228F
Email: lthurman@charlotte.edu
Direct: 704-687-5024
Thank you to our 2024 Participants
Hope to see you return in 2025
- AFL Global
- American Airlines
- Barrett Woodyard & Associates
- Benesch
- BL Companies
- BMW Manufacturing
- Bolton & Menk Inc.
- Booth & Associates
- Bosch Tool Group
- Burns & McDonnell (EPIC Affiliate)
- Caterpillar Inc.
- CESO Inc.
- Charlotte Dept. of Transportation (CDOT)
- Charlotte Water
- City of Charlotte Storm Water Services
- Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc.
- College of Engineering-Graduate Programs
- Corning Inc.
- CPH Consulting, LLC
- Crowder Construction
- DELTA |v| Forensic Engineering
- Dewberry
- Doosan Bobcat North America
- Deloitte Services LP
- Duke Energy (EPIC Affiliate)
- ECE Power
- Energy Solutions
- Energy United (EPIC Affiliate)
- EPRI (EPIC Affiliate)
- ESP Associates Inc.
- Exult Engineering
- Gerdau
- Harper General Contractors
- Hendrick Motorsports
- Holder Construction
- HUBER Technology, Inc.
- IDE Structural Engineers
- Joint Warfare Analysis Center
- Kimley-Horn
- Little
- MBP
- McKim & Creed
- Merrick & Company
- Midrex Technologies Inc.
- NC Dept. of Transportation (NCDOT)
- Nederman
- North Carolina Electric Cooperatives
- Novo Nordisk
- P&G
- Pike Enterprises, LLC (EPIC Affiliate)
- Power Engineers (EPIC Affiliate)
- Power Relaying Solutions, PLLC
- RK&K
- RoviSys
- Sargent & Lundy
- Savannah River Mission Completion
- Schaeffler
- Siemens Corporation (EPIC Affiliate)
- Siemens Energy (EPIC Affiliate)
- SKA Consulting Engineers, Inc.
- Southern Industrial Constructors
- STV
- TLV Corporation
- Trane Technologies
- UES Professional Solutions
- University of Tennessee Space Institute
- US Conec LTD
- US Navy Officer Recruiting Program
- Ward Vessel & Exchanger
- Whitman Requardt & Associates LLP
- Yokohama Tire