Grainger VIP Impact Report

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This past year has been a period of remarkable growth for the College of Engineering. On trend with the past decade, the demand of students wanting to major in engineering has grown continuously. The College of Engineering admitted 1,100 first-year students, remaining true to our commitment to expand both intentionally and strategically. Part of our strategic growth includes ensuring that our students, particularly our undergraduate students, can cultivate their own individual yet exceptional engineering experience. Our college prides itself on providing students with an extensive number of opportunities for involvement, such as joining one of many engineering-specific student organizations. Along with the social aspects of membership, our students also develop leadership skills, learn to work with others, and apply their engineering education in a variety of ways. One of the foundational elements of our undergraduate program is hands-on learning, offering students opportunities to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings. Whether through lab work, student organizations, internships, or co-ops, our students gain valuable practical experience. For example, this past year, a team of freshmen in our multidisciplinary design course collaborated with a local resident who has multiple sclerosis, which limits her ability to get into her car. By listening to her needs, the team developed a tailored solution to assist her. This course not only empowers freshmen to engage in engineering from day one, but it also fosters a sense of community and reinforces the principle that engineering exists to improve lives. Another notable aspect is that, because of the immense support of matching gifts from The Grainger Foundation,

Photo by: Paul L. Newby II

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