Engineers open year with food, clubs

Published in the Utah Statesman September 20, 2012

USU students ate free chili dogs and were introduced to engineering clubs and organizations Wednesday at the College of Engineering’s Opening Social.
   
The event, organized by the Engineering Council, featured more than ten engineering club tables and booths.
   
Riley Bradshaw, College of Engineering senator and senior majoring in civil engineering, said the opening social has been held for several years. The aim is to allow the clubs and organizations to recruit students, he said.
   
“Last year we started incorporating all the different engineering clubs and giving them an opportunity for exposure to recruit and tell people what they’re about,” Bradshaw said. “It’s just kind of evolved each year and keeps getting better.”
   
Bradshaw said he believes getting involved in different clubs and organizations isn’t just a way to meet new people and have fun, but also a way to gain experience and see how what students are learning in class can apply in the real world. He said it is especially crucial for those students just beginning in the program.
   
“Getting involved is crucial especially for the young students — the freshman and the sophomores especially — in engineering because the first couple years can be kind of rough,” Bradshaw said. “The clubs provide an excellent way to find out what your major is all about, what it means to be a civil engineer or electric engineer and get some hands on experience in that field. It definitely helps with the retention.”
   
Brianne Smith, a sophomore in biological engineering who attended the social and participates in the Biological Engineering Club, said being involved has helped her build a network with other students.
   
“Well, for one, you meet a lot of people who are similar to you and are in a similar situation,” Smith said. “People you can do homework with or people you can rant to about your homework.”
   
Orrin Pope, a junior in aeronautical engineering, and Alan Edlund, a junior in mechanical engineering, represented the American Society of Mechanical Engineers at the social and said becoming involved in the different engineering clubs and organizations had given them the leg up in networking and internship opportunities.
   
“It’s a networking opportunity,” Pope said. “It’s a chance to meet people that are going into the engineering field, the same one I am, and have a high probability of ending up being my colleagues. Having that relationship with them now is just great networking.”
Edlund said in the past he’d had a difficult time finding an internship, but after gaining experience on the ASME committee, he was able to find a position.
   
“I believe that I got the internship because I was participating or had a position or experiences,” Edlund said. “So even though my grades were average, participating in ASME provided an edge up against other people who are just going to class and aren’t really doing anything out of the norm.”
   
Edlund, Pope and their other colleagues in ASME are currently working on a floating arm trebuchet for a pumpkin toss competition next month.
   
“Last year we had a pumpkin that was thrown over 150 feet,” Edlund said. “We also organize different events where we can do business tours or tech talks so that people can get introduced into the professional world and also so that they can participate in contests like the trebuchet.”
   
Nate Inkley, a grad student in aerospace engineering who also attended the social, is involved in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He said being involved in AIAA allowed him to meet people with his own interests.
   
“It’s great because you get to know people with the same interest groups apart from your classes,” Inkley said. “For example, with aerospace stuff, you’re not talking about spaceships and navigating and orbits until your senior year, so freshmen through juniors can have a place to come together to talk about their interests and beyond.”
   
Ryan Martineau, a senior in mechanical engineering also involved in the AIAA, said being involved in different clubs or organizations also offer opportunities for mentoring.
   
“You come in and meet other people who have been there so whether its official or not its an automatic mentor,” Martineau said. “We just like to talk to the younger students about what we’ve been through. It’s social interaction, which is rare for engineers.”

–karlie.brand@aggiemail.usu.edu