Hi Karen,
I had the opportunity, while in high school, to participate in the UCLA Summer Math and Science Honors (SMASH) Academy for the 3 summers following 9th, 10th and 11th grade. For 5 weeks during those 3 summers, I got to live in the dorms at UCLA and attend math, science, and engineering design classes. The most memorable parts of those summers were the field trips we went on, which included visits to Hyperion Water Reclamation plant, Google's Corporate Office in Santa Monica, Edwards Air Force Base, and the Frito Lay's production facility, to name a few. But aside from the awesome field trips where I got to see some of the things that engineers actually do on a daily basis, I also got to interact with current college students who served as our residential advisors and tutors for the summer. It was a combination of those experiences and more that ultimately led me to choose engineering as a major and to choose UCLA as the place to study at.
The SMASH program at UCLA is run in partnership with the Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity (CEED) program, which I am a member of now as an undergraduate student. I participate in outreach events today by working with CEED to host STEM workshops and activities on the weekends for current students in the SMASH program. My high school experiences with engineering are definitely one of the biggest motivating factors I have to continue to volunteer and make engineering fun and exciting for younger people.
The SMASH Academy is a program created by the Level Playing Field Institute (LPFI) and has multiple site locations around the country. The program at UCLA heavily emphasizes engineering because of its partnership with CEED. More information about the SMASH Academy and LPFI can be found here:
https://www.smash.org/programs/smash-academy/------------------------------
Imani Elston S.M.ASCE
Northridge CA
UCLA Civil and Environmental Engineering, Class of 2020
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-19-2019 10:51
From: Jameelah Ingram
Subject: Did attending an engineering outreach event play a role in your college major or decision to become an engineer?
Happy Engineers Week!
On February 16th, Discover Engineering Family Day took place at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. ASCE had a booth where students designed paper towers to withstand wind forces. It was wonderful to volunteer and see children (and parents) enjoying hands-on activities and learning about all types of engineering. (I couldn't resist visiting other booths as well and even met an astronaut!)
Did attending an engineering outreach event play a role in deciding your college major or decision to become an engineer? How do you participate in these events today?
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Jameelah Ingram PE, M. ASCE
Washington. DC
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