Coalition of Packaging Professionals and Academic Connections (CoPPAC)

Prompted #5
By: Buck
             
             In my last blog I mentioned an organization at Michigan State University called the Coalition of Packaging Professionals and Academic Connections, or CoPPAC for short. This group is a great way for students to learn and connect to the real world of packaging that lives beyond a university. Through organized events and structured meetings CoPPAC is successfully able to prepare and inform students of how to act and communicate in the professional world.
             
             The biggest advantage I take away from CoPPAC is the experience. Many times throughout the year, CoPPAC provides a great opportunity to learn from and meet people coming from various companies that are all related to the field of packaging. Whether they bring in a speaker from PepsiCo, or maybe offer a free company tour of Amcor, a multinational packaging company, CoPPAC gives us students ways to learn about our futures and set ourselves up for success. Both the speaker from PepsiCo and the Amcor tour have been things that CoPPAC has offered this year and both of which I have taken part in. From these opportunities, I have been given a better perspective on what packaging looks like in the professional field and have gained confidence in myself that packaging is the right choice for me.

Look! Here's a picture of some members of CoPPAC(including myself) at the Amcor company tour!

Photo Credit: Hanna Holmi

             Another great take away from CoPPAC is that it teaches us how to communicate appropriately with other professionals. Learning how to communicate comes with the experience of interacting with the professionals that are brought in. We are able to ask questions formally in a business setting when we go into the business world on company tours, but we are also able to be casual and friendly in a smaller setting when representatives come to us at Michigan State. Being comfortable asking and learning from these qualified people is a huge aid in transitioning into the professional life that all of the members of CoPPAC are looking forward to. 

             I am very thankful for the influence CoPPAC has had on my professional future. I am also very excited to see what new things this organization will teach me in my future years as a student here at Michigan State. With packaging, the possibilities are close to endless, and CoPPAC helps us find where we want to be in the broad field of professional packaging.