Student ambassadors take engineering passion home

While some might view the Veteran’s Day holiday as a reason to sleep in, 46 students from The Ohio State University College of Engineering used it as an opportunity to spread their passion for engineering at their former high and middle schools. During the 2013-2014 school year, more than 200 Ohio State engineering hometown ambassadors will use their days off from classes to discuss engineering education and career opportunities at a total of 28 Ohio schools.

The junior and senior Buckeye engineers volunteer to return to their hometown schools to give presentations and demos, speak on question and answer panels or meet with STEM clubs. Students share their experiences on a variety of topics, including engineering employment, life as an engineering student, and how to prepare for a college engineering curriculum.

“Many of our students have completed internships or co-op assignments with companies, presented undergraduate research at the Denman, or applied their engineering skills on international service learning trips–all of which are authentic and relevant engineering experiences that can serve to encourage and prepare the next generation of STEM professionals,” said Howard Greene, director of K-12 outreach for the college. “Plus, our students love the opportunity to give back to their hometowns and re-connect with teachers and students.”