Learning from Rice Students:

A Parent’s Experience with Owl Edge

Get an inside look at the Owl Edge Externship program through the eyes of Mark Sahlin (Parent ’27), principal engineer in model-based systems engineering at Vermeer Corporation. Hear why he chooses to host Owl Edge externs, the insights he gains from Rice students and how his experience as a Rice parent shapes his perspective.

Curious about hosting an Owl Edge extern? Explore the Owl Edge Externship website to learn how you can participate in this flexible job-shadowing and networking opportunity over winter and spring break.

A Q&A with Mark Sahlin (Parent '27)

What drew your student to Rice?

My daughter Kirsten ’27 started looking at colleges her freshman year. We’re from the Des Moines, Iowa, area, but my wife is originally from Houston, and we visit every year to see my in-laws. During one trip, we walked around the Rice campus, and our daughter fell in love with it. Later, after learning about Rice’s programs, traditions and student culture, it became her dream school. She applied early and was thrilled to be accepted. She’s now a junior studying chemical engineering.

She loves it — classes are challenging, but she’s thriving. She’s made great friends, built strong connections and serves as captain of the dance team. Seeing how much she’s enjoying her time at Rice has made us really happy.

How has her experience shaped your own connection to the university?

Through her experience, I’ve grown to love Rice too. I enjoy connecting with students, hearing about their goals and offering mentorship. Having worked in aerospace, biomedical, agriculture and industrial equipment, I know what it’s like to navigate different career paths. I learn a lot from the students’ fresh perspectives, and if I can share a pearl of wisdom or help them move forward in their careers, I’m happy for the chance to do so.

What inspired you to become an Owl Edge Externship host?

I’ve always enjoyed mentoring and learning from others’ experiences. I’m a late Boomer, early Gen Xer, so I’m curious by how Gen Z think. Their perspectives are really refreshing. I like hearing what drives them, what they’re passionate about and where they want to go in life. The Owl Edge Externship gives me a chance to share what I’ve learned while also learning from their enthusiasm and passions.

It’s a lot of fun. I love hearing students’ perspectives — not just about engineering, but about their career goals, hobbies and where they hope to go in life. I also enjoy sharing my own experiences across different industries and showing how skills can transfer from one field to another. It’s a great exchange of ideas and energy.

Can you describe what this externship experience looks like for a student at your organization?

When students meet with me, I want them to walk away with a better understanding of how to connect their interests and studies to real-world opportunities. We talk about how to explore different career paths and what companies are really looking for, not just in terms of qualifications, but also mindset, experience and attitude. My goal is to help them think more intentionally about what excites them and how to pursue it.

What type of projects, responsibilities or learning opportunities do you typically offer externs?

Since I’m based in Des Moines and the students are all over — from Texas to Florida to even Spain — we connect virtually over Zoom. Before we meet, I review their resumes to understand their backgrounds and interests, then tailor our session to them. I usually start with a short PowerPoint about my career path and some general insights I’ve gathered along the way. From there, it turns into an open Q&A and discussion.

What’s great is that the students also learn from each other. They share their own experiences, ask thoughtful questions and offer feedback to one another. The cool thing about Rice students is they ask great questions that provoke really good discussion. Talking with Rice students really fires me up and makes me feel good about the future.

What have you learned from hosting Rice externs?

I’ve hosted about 16 Rice externs over the past two years, and I’ve learned a lot from them. I'm learning how Gen Z approaches their education and careers — what drives them, what they value and how they think about the future. Their perspectives are different from my own generation’s, and I find that really refreshing. I’m often impressed by the experiences and projects they’ve already taken on. It’s amazing how much things have evolved over the last few decades.

How has participating in the externship program been meaningful to you or your organization?

Participating in the Owl Edge Externship program has been incredibly meaningful, both personally and for Vermeer Corporation. I’ve had the chance to meet some outstanding Rice students, and one of them will be interning with us this summer. We’re really excited to have him on board. At Vermeer, our interns are fully engaged with engineers, teams and other interns, gaining real-world experience while building connections and having fun.

It’s also been valuable for our company to connect with Rice students and hear their fresh perspectives on engineering, design, technology and STEM beyond what we typically see in Iowa. Rice brings innovative ideas and new ways of thinking that help us better understand our challenges and discover creative solutions.

What would you say to other Rice parents who might be considering hosting an extern? In what ways do you see the externship program benefiting both students and hosts?

I think every Rice student should take advantage of the externship program. It’s a great opportunity to learn from alumni and parents about different industries, professions and career paths. Students gain valuable insight into what experiences and skills are important, and they get to explore possibilities in different places and fields.

The program is also beneficial for hosts. They get to learn about the next generation’s perspectives, goals and passions. It’s a meaningful exchange for both students and the hosts.

What has your experience been like as a Rice parent?

Being a Rice parent has been really cool. I went down to Houston one weekend and ended up at the 50th anniversary celebration for the engineering school. It was phenomenal. Great speakers, really good people, just a fantastic experience.

I’ve really enjoyed seeing what Rice is doing under the president’s leadership. The traditions feel genuine, the community is welcoming and it’s been amazing to watch my daughter thrive here.