Early Start First-Year Engineering Students Meet College and School Leaders

Event Date: July 29, 2020
Early Start First-Year Engineering students participating in Purdue’s Summer Start Program and enrolled in our ENGR 195 Engineering Career Exploration class had the opportunity today to meet College of Engineering and School leaders.

Students on campus joined together at Slayter Hill and online students interacted live through Zoom. Dean Mark Lundstrom, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education Alina Alexeenko, and Kamyar Haghighi Head of the School of Engineering Education Donna Riley spoke to students about the many opportunities in the college and on campus that students should seek and consider. One specific example from Dr. Alexeenko is Engineering Rising to the Challenge, an initiative of engineering thought leadership, scholarship, innovation, education and action to address critical issues related to societal resilience (COVID-19 and other disasters and crises.).  First-Year Engineering Academic Advisors Jessica Valley and Nathan Thomas were on hand as well to answer questions from students. And great questions were asked indeed, including the use of libraries on campus, each of our panelists’ research areas, if students can participate in engineering research online (and the answer is YES! For one example, check out VIP!) and what classes they teach.

The significance of meeting at Slayter Hill was also explained by Dr. Alexeenko. Slayter Hill features a natural amphitheater that was gifted by Purdue Alumnus Games Slayter and his wife Marie. Games earned his degree in Chemical Engineering in 1921 and holds many patents including his most widely known invention of fiberglass. 

A special thanks to our Assistant Head of First-Year Engineering Isabel Jimenez-Useche and Instructional Support Manager Nicole Towner for pulling this together with strategic measures to enable our remote students for active participation. We also appreciate the diligent safety measures everyone in attendance took to protect Purdue. Masks worn and designated distance seating helped our students, staff, and faculty remain safe during the gathering.

Multimedia

Pre-recorded panelist videos will be shared here soon. 

A view of the phone looking at the stage
A view from an iPhone enabling remote students to participate via Zoom.

Dean Lundstrom talks to students about the College of Engineering
Dean Lundstrom presents to the First-Year Engineering Early Start students.

Students sitting in hula hoops at Slayter Hill
First-Year Engineering students seated 6 feet apart in hula hoops.

Panelist sitting on stage
The panel answered questions from students on the lawn and online.

Students and instructor asking question to panel
Dr. Jimenez-Useche asks question for an FYE student.

Student holding up sign with "FYE Earhart ENGR 131"
Pre-event Icebreaker: First-Year Engineering students were asked to describe in one word their experience so far at Purdue. In this case, "FYE, Earhart, and ENGR 131" best explains this student's experience so far!