Connect | Lead | Inspire | Mentor | Belong
DOI Student Academic Success supports the College of Engineering's strategic goal to deliver the highest quality, evidence-based education experiences in a diverse and inclusive community accessible at all student levels. Staff connects students with opportunities to support their academic and personal pursuits and create programs and activities that increase self-efficacy and foster community while assuring that all engineering students understand diversity, equity, and inclusion as a prerequisite for excellence in an increasingly global society.
Click on the tabs below to view the collection of activities designed to connect students to peers, alumni, and industry partners through professional development seminars, hands-on skill-building workshops, industry tours, and panel discussions with professionals and faculty.


New First Year Student Programs
The Pre First-year Academic and Career Engagement (PREFACE) Program is a multi-level program designed to develop our pre-first-year students into high-performing students who are confident, efficient, and results-driven engineers through a holistic approach toward academic and professional success in the engineering environment at The Ohio State University College of Engineering and beyond. More importantly, we want our PREFACE participants to learn life skills and pay it forward by becoming productive citizens. In order to help build community and development for Buckeye engineers to strive towards excellence, LEAP (Learning Community for Engineers, Architects and Planners) is our residential hall for all incoming PREFACE participants
The Leaders in Engineering, Architecture , and Planning (LEAP) Learning Community is committed to assisting students in their transition to the study of engineering and the Ohio State University community. It is designed to give students exposure to the variety of major options within the College of Engineering (COE), access to effective academic support services, interaction with faculty, staff, alumni and professionals, and opportunity to cultivate community with students across the COE.
To learn more visit the LEAP page
Mentoring and Preparing the Next Generation of Engineering Leaders
The DOI Academic EnriChment and Career DevELopment for UndERgraduATEs, known as ACCELERATE, is a research and project based summer program for second-year students designed to accelerate their progress through the engineering curriculum. Academic success enrichment and career development programming will enhance student problem solving skills, expose them to key concepts necessary for matriculation in their engineering program and provide them hands-on problem solving experience through team, project-based learning.
Students participating in the MEP PREFACE and WIE Empow(HER)ment are invited to participate as mentees and engineering professionals, MEP and WIE alumni serve as mentors. The DOI Mentoring Program includes panel discussions, one-on-one or small group mentoring. Events are hosted in person and through an online platform. Mentor/Mentee sign up begins each fall. For more information email eng-doi@osu.edu. View the Informal Advising and Mentoring Faculty Directory (FAM & Familia)
ACCELERATED REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) Boot Camp is a yearly event open to all current DOI students during the autumn semester.
Email Gisell Jeter-Bennett, PhD or Edwin Lee, PhD with any questions.
Experiential Career Exploration and Leadership Seminar, known as ExCELS, was designed to introduce DOI students to engineering careers and research through authentic inquiry activities sponsored by industry partners and research laboratories on campus. During spring semester the program provides opportunities for students to engage in hands-on learning and shadowing experiences with industry partners and faculty while gaining a better understanding of engineering design, safety and testing and work efficiency. Applications for the 2023 CAR ExCELS cohort are currently closed.
Please email Assistant Director Edwin Lee, PhD for more details.

Connecting Students, Faculty, Alumni and Industry Partners
ELEVATE, is an initiative focused on the academic success, belonging, well-being, and retention of women of color and all those who support them in pursuing undergraduate engineering degrees at Ohio State. If you are interested in learning more about ELEVATE and how you can build community with other women of color and all those who support them, please click the link below to sign-up and receive more information.
For more information, email Gisell Jeter-Bennett, PhD.
Empow(HER)ment Cafes are targeted to women identifying engineering students and all those who support them. The cafes offer students the opportunity to ask questions regarding majors, careers and research with female faculty and alumnae from the College of Engineering and industry partners. Students also build community with other female engineering students.
The MEP Discover Engineering Series is a year-round presentation series that exposes students to and educates them on various engineering fields by showcasing faculty research, career paths of alumni engineers and job duties/responsibilities through industry partners tours. The series’ main purpose is to provide an opportunity for students to explore various engineering disciplines during their pre-major status. The goal is to provide insight beyond the classroom and to discover their engineering field with passion and purpose.

Desmond Bourgeois, PhD
Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Thursday, September, 2022 @ 5:30 p.m. Scott Lab E525
Information Flyer
Registration Link

Natalia Higuita-Castro, PhD
Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Monday, September 26, 2022 @ 6 p.m. Hitchcock Hall, Room 426
Information Flyer
Registration Link

Harry Kennedy
Electrical and Computer Engineering

Charles Muse
Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering

Theo Nicholson, PhD
Biomedical Engineering
Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 7 p.m., Hitchcock Hall, Room 410
Information Flyer
Registration Link

Tawfiq Musah, PhD
Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at 6 p.m., Hitchcock Hall, Room 426
Information Flyer
Registration Link
Wellness is an integral part of a student’s academic success. Engineering Wellness workshops and events are focused on establishing healthy physical and mental wellness routines. Previous events include yoga classes, rock climbing, boxing, meditation workshops and our annual Cookies and Canvas event.
DOI hosts two annual Awards and Celebration Banquets each year to recognize DOI students from the Minority Engineering Program and Women Engineering for outstanding academic achievement and leadership. Students, corporate and community representatives, faculty and staff all come together to celebrate and be inspired by excellence in engineering.
More Information
