Humanitarian Engineering Scholars work as a community to explore themes of engineering for social good, sociotechnical complexity, and humanitarian engineering travel and project opportunities at Ohio State.
Humanitarian Engineering is the application of engineering for social good. Careers in humanitarian engineering include development projects to ensure basic human rights, accessible engineering interventions, and disaster response. Students will explore these themes by studying the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and learning skills to contribute to achieving the goals.
As a result of participating in the Humanitarian Engineering Scholars program students:
- Can create a list of their values, passions, and interests to better understand their identity.
- Can evaluate their foundations of knowledge and how they prepare them for success in engineering.
- Can analyze how engineering can be used for social good.
Academics
Humanitarian Engineering Scholars have the opportunity to engage with faculty, staff, and community leaders inside and outside of the classroom. The programs offered compliment what students are learning in the classroom and offer personal connection that other students do not find.
Seminar Course
Clustered Courses
First Year Requirements
Second Year Requirements
Events and Activities
Humanitarian Engineering Scholars participate in various events throughout the years. These events engage students around humanitarian engineering topics and engineering-related initiatives. The events also support personal, professional, and community development.
Signature Events
HES Design Challenge
This program allows student to create humanitarian solutions to community programs. This group “challenge” changes each year and pushes students to apply their classroom learning to solve real community problems.
Welcome Week
During Scholars first week on campus engage in many events to make connections with your cohort. New students are welcomed to campus the Sunday before classes start and complete a Scavenger Hunt and Peer Mentor Reveal to conclude the Welcome Week.
Humanitarian Engineering Showcase
At the end of the academic year, the Humanitarian Engineering Scholars host a showcase of all the different study abroad, courses, research, and student organizations that are a part of the Humanitarian Engineering Community at Ohio State.
Impact Engineering Lab
The Humanitarian Engineering Scholars work closely with the Impact Engineering Lab at Ohio State to support student initiatives related to Humanitarian Engineering. Students participate in events and opportunities hosted by the Impact Engineering Lab.
Career Development
Career Workshops – Each semester, a series of career workshops focusing on career fairs, resume and cover letter writing, networking, interviewing, and job searching are provided for students.
Community
The Humanitarian Engineering Scholars community is many students' favorite part of the program. Students live together in Drackett Tower, complete many of the same courses, and participate in extracurricular activities hosted by the Scholars program. Our community supports your academic performance, facilitates social connection, and offers personal and professional development opportunities. Overall, the community results in a strong network of peers to support you throughout your time at Ohio State and beyond.
Service
- Buckeyethon – Many HES students participate in Ohio State's 24-hour dance marathon to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network at Nationwide Children's Hospital.
- Columbus Metropolitan Library – HES creates STEM-related programming or after-school tutoring in the local library branches.
- Columbus Recreation and Parks – We often support the local park system by planting trees, removing invasive species, and or clean up the playground areas.
HES will continue to seek out new relationships with community partner while strengthening our existing ones.
Mentorship Program
Peer Leaders serve as mentors for first-year students and lead small group discussions in HES Seminar. This leadership role allows upperclass students to build a close relationship with their small group of mentees, strengthen their leadership skills through teaching and curriculum development, and support first-year students in their transition to college.
Leadership Council
Scholars have the opportunity to apply to be a part of the Humanitarian Engineering Scholars Leadership Council during their second year. The Humanitarian Engineering Scholars dedicate themselves to serving the community, enriching ourselves through education, promoting social culture, and using Humanitarian efforts to better the world. The group provides programming around the theme of the program.
Community Meetings
Residential Requirement
First-year Humanitarian 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.