Showcasing the different types of engineering through an academic lens, interactions with faculty and alumni, and career exploration.
Engineering Scholars are provided a supportive living-learning community that encourages exploring innovative adoption of socially responsible practices within engineering. These efforts often strive to minimize health risks and environmental impact while maximizing efficiency, feasibility and sustainability.
Academics
Engineering Scholars have the opportunity to engage with faculty, staff, and community leaders inside and outside of the classroom. The programs offered complement what students are learning in the classroom and offer personal connection that other students do not find.
First Year Requirements
During the first year, Engineering Scholars focus on establishing community, discovering what engineering is, and exploring the many opportunities available to them as an engineering student at Ohio State. The program offers a supportive and stable environment as they transition to a university setting. Participation in Scholars provides tools and resources designed to help students successfully complete their first year at Ohio State.
Second Year Requirements
During the second year, Engineering Scholars focus on professional development, how to apply engineering principles to their specific field or area of interest, and prepare for their future goals related to engineering — whether that is within undergraduate research, an internship or co-op in industry, or even studying abroad. There are also many leadership opportunities available during the second year, including serving as a mentor and participating in the Leadership Council. Participation in Scholars enables students to realize their potential beyond their undergraduate studies.
Seminar Course
First-year students will take an Engineering Scholars seminar course to learn about engineering disciplines, explore major/career options, engage in group projects and classroom discussions, learn about undergraduate research and interact with faculty, alumni, and other industry partners.
Through the sessions and assignments in this course, Engineering Scholars will:
- Understand the requirements and expectations of being an Engineering Scholar
- Understand the five G.O.A.L.S. of the University Honors & Scholars Center
- Develop a close relationship with the Scholars Program staff and students from other co-curricular programs through collaborative events
- Learn about opportunities related to the theme of the program
Clustered Courses
Engineering Scholars complete the Fundamentals of Engineering sequence together by taking two clustered courses in the first year: ENG 1181.02: Introduction to Engineering I during autumn semester and ENG 1182.02: Introduction to Engineering II during spring semester. These courses are required for all engineering students (regardless of pre-major), but certain sections are reserved for Engineering Scholars students.
Topics: Some concepts covered in 1181.02 include programming in Excel and Matlab and varying hands-on team labs, while concepts covered in 1182.02 include a semester-long team design-build project and graphics in SolidWorks.
Purpose: Select faculty members teach these clustered courses to incorporate the Engineering Scholars themes into the curriculum. By emphasizing a team-centered approach, Engineering Scholars develop supportive relationships in the classroom that complement their learning outside the classroom.
Events and Activities
Engineering Scholars are provided varying types of opportunities to meet the program’s learning outcomes. The service and involvement requirements encompass each student’s choice to participate in the type of opportunities that align with their unique interests and learning styles. This menu of varied opportunities allows each student to engage in a way that is most beneficial to their success as an Ohio State student. By providing a menu of different types of opportunities to ES students, like workshops, activities, lectures, presentations, community meetings, tours, classes, and much more, each student can engage in the program in a way which is most beneficial to their success as a student at Ohio State.
Community
Engineering Scholars begin to build a strong community around them immediately in their first year via the residential community, shared seminar course and Scholars activities outside the classroom. This community continues to evolve as Scholars enter their second year and beyond as they dive deeper into engineering principles and career exploration.
Community Meetings
Held during their first-year spring semester and throughout all of their second year, students hear from engineering presenters who speak about their area of expertise within academia, industry, or both.
Community meetings expose Engineering Scholars to opportunities on and off campus that may align with their interests, connect them to people and resources, and educate them about topics within the engineering field that they may not learn in the classroom.
Mentorship Program
Comprised of approximately 5-8 upper-class mentors, the mentorship program provides a support structure for first-year students. Mentors are experienced engineering students who guide first-year students in successfully navigating the engineering program and balancing extracurricular activities.
All first-year Engineering Scholars are assigned to a Mentorship Group over the summer and meet during the welcome event in the fall.
Leadership Council
Consisting of second- and third-year students chosen through an application process during the first year’s spring semester, the Leadership Council strives to enhance, improve, and develop the Engineering Scholars Program for all of its members by providing enjoyable and educational opportunities to the community. These opportunities typically fall within the following categories: mentorship, community service, marketing and communications, professional development, athletics and social engagements. The leadership council is also directed to professional development and leadership opportunities.
Residential Requirement
First-year Engineering Scholars students live together in Drackett Tower.
The residential community is an important element of the Scholars experience, and is required for all students with the exception of commuter students. Space in the prescribed residence hall is subject to availability, and while Scholars are given housing priority, space is not guaranteed and students may be placed in other accommodations due to program demand if necessary.
All Scholars
While each of the 16 Scholars Programs builds experiences for students around its unique theme, students benefit from shared Scholars experiences. All Scholars Programs:
- Are open to students of any major.
- Feature a first-year residential community.
- Have a first-year seminar course.
- Are led by an experienced full-time professional Program Manager.
- Are academically-driven communities with a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 to participate.
- Have a student leadership council, offering leadership opportunities, community programming, and service projects.