OUS: ETIC Awards $142,765 in Grants toward OSU Pre-Engineering Efforts

Story Posted: Wed, May 10, 2006

Contact: Di Saunders – Office, 503-725-5714; Cell, 503-807-5539
Source: Bruce Schafer, Executive Director, ETIC – Office, 503-725-2915

A total of $729,383 in grants awarded statewide toward pre-engineering education 

PORTLAND, May 9 – The Oregon University System announced today that the Engineering & Technology Industry Council (ETIC) awarded $142,865 in grants toward Oregon State University efforts to improve the pipeline of highly skilled engineering and technology students in K-12 and postsecondary education. The grants support the OSU SMILE Program (Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences), Engineering Ambassadors, and a College of Engineering program for early exposure of K-12 students to science and engineering.  The ETIC grants were awarded to twelve projects statewide, totaling $729,383.

The Pre-Engineering and Applied Science project supports ETIC’s strategy to “grow our own” Oregon engineers and computer scientists, and ultimately double the number of these professionals in Oregon. The awards were given to programs that advance pre-engineering education efforts through a broad range of outreach, curricula, and professional development.  

The OSU programs that were funded demonstrate broad-based outreach efforts for Oregon youth. OSU’s SMILE program was awarded $93,115, one of the largest of the statewide grants. The program is aimed to increase STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) career awareness and aspirations of minority, low income, first generation and rural students. The College of Engineering was awarded a $36,450 grant for Engineering Ambassadors, a program by which students educate students through near-peer mentoring, with the intention to motivate diverse populations to engineering/technical careers.  Finally, the College of Engineering was awarded $13,200 for a proposal of an integrated approach for early exposure of K-12 students to science and engineering through their wide array of pre-college programs. 

Eda Davis-Butts, director of the SMILE Program, says, “The SMILE Program is very excited about the opportunities the ETIC grant will fund, and gratified to know that the students we serve are seen as important future contributors to Oregon’s engineering and applied sciences workforce.  The grant will provide support to engage families in engineering experiences, expand after school club activities, and involve engineering undergraduates in an on-campus academic challenge for middle school students to build familiarity with, excitement about, and opportunities to pursue engineering.”

The target goals and strategies for the grants were developed by statewide business, policy, and education leaders who convened at a 2005 summit to develop a common strategic plan for improving pre-engineering and applied science education in Oregon. (For more information on the Oregon Pre-Engineering & Applied Sciences Strategic Planning Summit, go to www.opas.ous.edu).  The grant review committee looked for programs that enhance communications and outreach efforts to young people across the state on the opportunities in technical careers; strengthen or innovate pre-engineering and technology curriculum and standards; or improve professional development programs that allow teachers and faculty to more effectively teach science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses.

Bruce Schafer, executive director of ETIC, says, “It is rewarding to support these promising, multi-faceted efforts to prepare Oregon youth for exciting engineering and technical careers. More than ever, Oregon leaders are coming together to initiate and enhance avenues for Oregon students, from kindergarten through college, to find ways toward these promising careers. Strong collaboration and shared vision among educators and industry leadership is making this happen.”

ETIC is a public-private partnership between the university system and top Oregon industries. It works to advance engineering and technology postsecondary education throughout Oregon to enhance the economic climate for both the public and private sectors. It establishes success criteria and measurements for investments in these areas, makes specific investment recommendations, and monitors the results of these investments. For more information go to www.oregonetic.org

The Oregon University System (OUS) comprises seven distinguished public universities, reaching more than one million people each year through on-campus classes, statewide public services, and lifelong learning. The Oregon State Board of Higher Education, the statutory governing board of OUS, is composed of eleven members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon State Senate. For additional information, go to www.ous.edu