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Has anyone seen a pathway to becoming a civil engineer that starts with community college and/or an associate's degree? My prompt for this question is my high school teaching experience and the recent article "Change the Message-Change the World" in the May-June issue of Civil Engineering. I think there's more to it than messaging. and we need more tools in the tool kit if we really want to move the needle and attract more to civil engineering. 

I tutor Algebra 1 at a high school where most students are economically disadvantaged, and English is not their primary language. Last week, as I have done for the past four years, I talked to the students in the classes I tutor about engineering in general and civil engineering in detail. Unfortunately, their interest level was low. We can all guess the reasons. I can factually say the math skills of many in the class are poor, and this is not for want of trying. I also know that my math skills were poor at the end of ninth grade.I told the students not to give up on math - their aptitude towards abstraction will evolve as mine did - and to recognize that there are alternative pathways, including community college and technical training, as low-barrier ways to step into engineering. 

The ASCE could do me and these students a big favor by developing pathways beyond the conventional four-year degree and, in return, provide another tool to help grow the profession. It would be great to hear from others who share similar experiences or have different viewpoints and those in positions of influence. 

Mitch, you have hit upon a topic - expanding pathways into engineering - that is of growing interest to many.  This topic has arisen repeatedly in discussions over the past 18 months involving representatives of ASCE, AIChE, ASEE, ASME, IEEE, and other organizations about Shaping the Future of Engineering Education (a series of meetings led by ASCE and sponsored in part by a grant from the United Engineering Foundation).  These discussions have revealed initiatives that aim to double-down on efforts to strengthen pathways from community colleges into engineering.  ASME, for example, has a program "Community College Engineering Pathways" (www.asmefoundation.org/programs/careers-that-matter/community-college-engineering-pathways/).  Individual engineering schools have programs focused on community college students, such as the "Engineering Pathways" program at the University of Illinois (grainger.illinois.edu/admissions/undergraduate/pathways).  Here in the Pittsburgh area various colleges and universities have relationships with the engineering program at the Community College of Allegheny County (www.ccac.edu/_staging/academics/programs/engineering-electronics-and-design/engineering.php).  These programs involve engagement and preparation of community college students for engineering technology studies as well as conventional 4-year engineering studies that have more emphasis on mathematical analyses.  The bottom line, as you note, is that community colleges are insufficiently utilized sources of talent for the engineering workforce. The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) will soon release "The Engineering Mindset Report", a comprehensive analysis of the state of engineering education in which the need to expand pathways into engineering - including better engagement with community colleges - is emphasized.  Collaborative initiatives from the ASCE-led discussions on Shaping the Future of Engineering Education are in development.  I anticipate that efforts focused on community college students are likely to be part of these initiatives.  But ASCE members and other engineers don't need to wait to move forward on engagement with and support of community college students.  Your efforts in Houston serve as an excellent model of personal initiative.  Thanks for your work on the front lines in supporting community college students and helping to make them aware of career possibilities in civil engineering and other engineering fields.

Has anyone seen a pathway to becoming a civil engineer that starts with community college and/or an associate's degree? My prompt for this question is my high school teaching experience and the recent article "Change the Message-Change the World" in the May-June issue of Civil Engineering. I think there's more to it than messaging. and we need more tools in the tool kit if we really want to move the needle and attract more to civil engineering. 

I tutor Algebra 1 at a high school where most students are economically disadvantaged, and English is not their primary language. Last week, as I have done for the past four years, I talked to the students in the classes I tutor about engineering in general and civil engineering in detail. Unfortunately, their interest level was low. We can all guess the reasons. I can factually say the math skills of many in the class are poor, and this is not for want of trying. I also know that my math skills were poor at the end of ninth grade.I told the students not to give up on math - their aptitude towards abstraction will evolve as mine did - and to recognize that there are alternative pathways, including community college and technical training, as low-barrier ways to step into engineering. 

The ASCE could do me and these students a big favor by developing pathways beyond the conventional four-year degree and, in return, provide another tool to help grow the profession. It would be great to hear from others who share similar experiences or have different viewpoints and those in positions of influence. 

Mitch, you have hit upon a topic - expanding pathways into engineering - that is of growing interest to many.  This topic has arisen repeatedly in discussions over the past 18 months involving representatives of ASCE, AIChE, ASEE, ASME, IEEE, and other organizations about Shaping the Future of Engineering Education (a series of meetings led by ASCE and sponsored in part by a grant from the United Engineering Foundation).  These discussions have revealed initiatives that aim to double-down on efforts to strengthen pathways from community colleges into engineering.  ASME, for example, has a program "Community College Engineering Pathways" (www.asmefoundation.org/programs/careers-that-matter/community-college-engineering-pathways/).  Individual engineering schools have programs focused on community college students, such as the "Engineering Pathways" program at the University of Illinois (grainger.illinois.edu/admissions/undergraduate/pathways).  Here in the Pittsburgh area various colleges and universities have relationships with the engineering program at the Community College of Allegheny County (www.ccac.edu/_staging/academics/programs/engineering-electronics-and-design/engineering.php).  These programs involve engagement and preparation of community college students for engineering technology studies as well as conventional 4-year engineering studies that have more emphasis on mathematical analyses.  The bottom line, as you note, is that community colleges are insufficiently utilized sources of talent for the engineering workforce. The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) will soon release "The Engineering Mindset Report", a comprehensive analysis of the state of engineering education in which the need to expand pathways into engineering - including better engagement with community colleges - is emphasized.  Collaborative initiatives from the ASCE-led discussions on Shaping the Future of Engineering Education are in development.  I anticipate that efforts focused on community college students are likely to be part of these initiatives.  But ASCE members and other engineers don't need to wait to move forward on engagement with and support of community college students.  Your efforts in Houston serve as an excellent model of personal initiative.  Thanks for your work on the front lines in supporting community college students and helping to make them aware of career possibilities in civil engineering and other engineering fields.

Has anyone seen a pathway to becoming a civil engineer that starts with community college and/or an associate's degree? My prompt for this question is my high school teaching experience and the recent article "Change the Message-Change the World" in the May-June issue of Civil Engineering. I think there's more to it than messaging. and we need more tools in the tool kit if we really want to move the needle and attract more to civil engineering. 

I tutor Algebra 1 at a high school where most students are economically disadvantaged, and English is not their primary language. Last week, as I have done for the past four years, I talked to the students in the classes I tutor about engineering in general and civil engineering in detail. Unfortunately, their interest level was low. We can all guess the reasons. I can factually say the math skills of many in the class are poor, and this is not for want of trying. I also know that my math skills were poor at the end of ninth grade.I told the students not to give up on math - their aptitude towards abstraction will evolve as mine did - and to recognize that there are alternative pathways, including community college and technical training, as low-barrier ways to step into engineering. 

The ASCE could do me and these students a big favor by developing pathways beyond the conventional four-year degree and, in return, provide another tool to help grow the profession. It would be great to hear from others who share similar experiences or have different viewpoints and those in positions of influence. 

Has anyone seen a pathway to becoming a civil engineer that starts with community college and/or an associate's degree? My prompt for this question is my high school teaching experience and the recent article "Change the Message-Change the World" in the May-June issue of Civil Engineering. I think there's more to it than messaging. and we need more tools in the tool kit if we really want to move the needle and attract more to civil engineering. 

I tutor Algebra 1 at a high school where most students are economically disadvantaged, and English is not their primary language. Last week, as I have done for the past four years, I talked to the students in the classes I tutor about engineering in general and civil engineering in detail. Unfortunately, their interest level was low. We can all guess the reasons. I can factually say the math skills of many in the class are poor, and this is not for want of trying. I also know that my math skills were poor at the end of ninth grade.I told the students not to give up on math - their aptitude towards abstraction will evolve as mine did - and to recognize that there are alternative pathways, including community college and technical training, as low-barrier ways to step into engineering. 

The ASCE could do me and these students a big favor by developing pathways beyond the conventional four-year degree and, in return, provide another tool to help grow the profession. It would be great to hear from others who share similar experiences or have different viewpoints and those in positions of influence. 

Has anyone seen a pathway to becoming a civil engineer that starts with community college and/or an associate's degree? My prompt for this question is my high school teaching experience and the recent article "Change the Message-Change the World" in the May-June issue of Civil Engineering. I think there's more to it than messaging. and we need more tools in the tool kit if we really want to move the needle and attract more to civil engineering. 

I tutor Algebra 1 at a high school where most students are economically disadvantaged, and English is not their primary language. Last week, as I have done for the past four years, I talked to the students in the classes I tutor about engineering in general and civil engineering in detail. Unfortunately, their interest level was low. We can all guess the reasons. I can factually say the math skills of many in the class are poor, and this is not for want of trying. I also know that my math skills were poor at the end of ninth grade.I told the students not to give up on math - their aptitude towards abstraction will evolve as mine did - and to recognize that there are alternative pathways, including community college and technical training, as low-barrier ways to step into engineering. 

The ASCE could do me and these students a big favor by developing pathways beyond the conventional four-year degree and, in return, provide another tool to help grow the profession. It would be great to hear from others who share similar experiences or have different viewpoints and those in positions of influence. 

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Mitch Winkler P.E.(inactive), M.ASCE
Houston, TX
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Has anyone seen a pathway to becoming a civil engineer that starts with community college and/or an associate's degree? My prompt for this question is my high school teaching experience and the recent article "Change the Message-Change the World" in the May-June issue of Civil Engineering. I think there's more to it than messaging. and we need more tools in the tool kit if we really want to move the needle and attract more to civil engineering. 

I tutor Algebra 1 at a high school where most students are economically disadvantaged, and English is not their primary language. Last week, as I have done for the past four years, I talked to the students in the classes I tutor about engineering in general and civil engineering in detail. Unfortunately, their interest level was low. We can all guess the reasons. I can factually say the math skills of many in the class are poor, and this is not for want of trying. I also know that my math skills were poor at the end of ninth grade.I told the students not to give up on math - their aptitude towards abstraction will evolve as mine did - and to recognize that there are alternative pathways, including community college and technical training, as low-barrier ways to step into engineering. 

The ASCE could do me and these students a big favor by developing pathways beyond the conventional four-year degree and, in return, provide another tool to help grow the profession. It would be great to hear from others who share similar experiences or have different viewpoints and those in positions of influence. 

When I was in school about 10 years ago, there was one option similar to what you and others in this thread are describing. I do not know if it still exists, but for a while, the NJ Stars program allowed students leaving high school who were either of a certain class rank or GPA to attend community college for free. From there, they could transfer into a 4 year institution (I forget what the rules were regarding transfer feasibility and if it had to be in-state after that). 

I don't know all the devils that were in the details here, but I can say that a small group of my graduating class did go this route. Their advisors were sometimes able to either waive certain classes or replace one class for a (somewhat) related class where the previous 2 years of school courses diverged. However, I recall that at least one or two of the students had to stay for an extra semester to take a final class or two due to scheduling conflicts while getting caught up during year 1 of transfer (aka year 3 of the 4 year program).

From the social acclimation perspective, most of these students were hard working and friendly, and thus able to assimilate into the class.

It brings to question the value of time vs money here. Is essentially a 4.5 or 5 year program plus a less-than-seamless transfer worth the discount on tuition vs the opportunity cost of a few months of work after graduation? Could the transfer process have been better? 

This is a good question for many majors, and one that raises further questions about academic institutions and intentional inaccessibility. - it becomes very difficult to join a program halfway through when that program wants your tuition dollars for all 4 or more years. 

Has anyone seen a pathway to becoming a civil engineer that starts with community college and/or an associate's degree? My prompt for this question is my high school teaching experience and the recent article "Change the Message-Change the World" in the May-June issue of Civil Engineering. I think there's more to it than messaging. and we need more tools in the tool kit if we really want to move the needle and attract more to civil engineering. 

I tutor Algebra 1 at a high school where most students are economically disadvantaged, and English is not their primary language. Last week, as I have done for the past four years, I talked to the students in the classes I tutor about engineering in general and civil engineering in detail. Unfortunately, their interest level was low. We can all guess the reasons. I can factually say the math skills of many in the class are poor, and this is not for want of trying. I also know that my math skills were poor at the end of ninth grade.I told the students not to give up on math - their aptitude towards abstraction will evolve as mine did - and to recognize that there are alternative pathways, including community college and technical training, as low-barrier ways to step into engineering. 

The ASCE could do me and these students a big favor by developing pathways beyond the conventional four-year degree and, in return, provide another tool to help grow the profession. It would be great to hear from others who share similar experiences or have different viewpoints and those in positions of influence. 

Back to the original question, Will changing the message make civil engineering more attractive?  It seems to me that the attractiveness of the civil engineering profession is based on what a career in civil engineering looks like compared to other career choices.  Thinking about my career and the directions I took, my choices were based on three questions: (1) Am I having fun? (2) Am I learning something?, and (3) Am I making enough money?  For the latter, it wasn't about getting rich.  Instead, it was about having enough resources to live comfortably and giving my kids a good start in life...college, whatever.

Having worked in the civil engineering industry for 30+ years, it seems that the message we're giving to potential civil engineers is, "Yeah, the math and science are hard, but when you finish, you get to build really cool stuff."  That message may work for some, but the opportunities for the rank-and-file civil engineer to "build really cool stuff" are limited.  One reason I say this is because when I was active in Engineers Without Borders-USA, we experienced a surge of interest from practicing civil engineers to participate in projects to help poor communities--seemingly a break from having to work on yet again another road or sewer design.

Actually, we have a message that will make civil engineering more attractive, but the profession doesn't recognize it yet.  Ready or not, civil engineering is about to undergo a major overhaul, one that will visit every aspect of this engineering discipline related to climate.  Increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are trapping more thermal energy, raising the Earth's temperature, and significantly disrupting the Earth's climate regulating systems. As a result, climate conditions are changing in ways and at a pace that was never contemplated nor incorporated into civil infrastructure design.  Climate change is overturning a foundational civil engineering assumption: past conditions are good predictors of future conditions. 

If climate conditions are no longer stationary, then many, if not most, of the climate-related civil engineering standards, especially prescriptive standards, are no longer reliable.  Civil infrastructure must be revised: designed or refurbished to handle changing climate and weather conditions through avoidance/retreat, accommodation, and adaptation.  In addition, civil infrastructure must be made carbon neutral, shifting to renewable energy sources and reducing embodied carbon in materials.

Here is the attraction.  Designing civil infrastructure for a changing climate represents an opportunity of a lifetime.  Civil engineers will get to revise the profession.  New approaches are needed to handle the deep uncertainties of future climate conditions.  Engineers with a sound understanding of what works and does not work will be sought after for their expertise and judgment as new technologies and methodologies arrive.  That answers my three questions.

When I was in school about 10 years ago, there was one option similar to what you and others in this thread are describing. I do not know if it still exists, but for a while, the NJ Stars program allowed students leaving high school who were either of a certain class rank or GPA to attend community college for free. From there, they could transfer into a 4 year institution (I forget what the rules were regarding transfer feasibility and if it had to be in-state after that). 

I don't know all the devils that were in the details here, but I can say that a small group of my graduating class did go this route. Their advisors were sometimes able to either waive certain classes or replace one class for a (somewhat) related class where the previous 2 years of school courses diverged. However, I recall that at least one or two of the students had to stay for an extra semester to take a final class or two due to scheduling conflicts while getting caught up during year 1 of transfer (aka year 3 of the 4 year program).

From the social acclimation perspective, most of these students were hard working and friendly, and thus able to assimilate into the class.

It brings to question the value of time vs money here. Is essentially a 4.5 or 5 year program plus a less-than-seamless transfer worth the discount on tuition vs the opportunity cost of a few months of work after graduation? Could the transfer process have been better? 

This is a good question for many majors, and one that raises further questions about academic institutions and intentional inaccessibility. - it becomes very difficult to join a program halfway through when that program wants your tuition dollars for all 4 or more years. 

Has anyone seen a pathway to becoming a civil engineer that starts with community college and/or an associate's degree? My prompt for this question is my high school teaching experience and the recent article "Change the Message-Change the World" in the May-June issue of Civil Engineering. I think there's more to it than messaging. and we need more tools in the tool kit if we really want to move the needle and attract more to civil engineering. 

I tutor Algebra 1 at a high school where most students are economically disadvantaged, and English is not their primary language. Last week, as I have done for the past four years, I talked to the students in the classes I tutor about engineering in general and civil engineering in detail. Unfortunately, their interest level was low. We can all guess the reasons. I can factually say the math skills of many in the class are poor, and this is not for want of trying. I also know that my math skills were poor at the end of ninth grade.I told the students not to give up on math - their aptitude towards abstraction will evolve as mine did - and to recognize that there are alternative pathways, including community college and technical training, as low-barrier ways to step into engineering. 

The ASCE could do me and these students a big favor by developing pathways beyond the conventional four-year degree and, in return, provide another tool to help grow the profession. It would be great to hear from others who share similar experiences or have different viewpoints and those in positions of influence. 

Back to the original question, Will changing the message make civil engineering more attractive?  It seems to me that the attractiveness of the civil engineering profession is based on what a career in civil engineering looks like compared to other career choices.  Thinking about my career and the directions I took, my choices were based on three questions: (1) Am I having fun? (2) Am I learning something?, and (3) Am I making enough money?  For the latter, it wasn't about getting rich.  Instead, it was about having enough resources to live comfortably and giving my kids a good start in life...college, whatever.

Having worked in the civil engineering industry for 30+ years, it seems that the message we're giving to potential civil engineers is, "Yeah, the math and science are hard, but when you finish, you get to build really cool stuff."  That message may work for some, but the opportunities for the rank-and-file civil engineer to "build really cool stuff" are limited.  One reason I say this is because when I was active in Engineers Without Borders-USA, we experienced a surge of interest from practicing civil engineers to participate in projects to help poor communities--seemingly a break from having to work on yet again another road or sewer design.

Actually, we have a message that will make civil engineering more attractive, but the profession doesn't recognize it yet.  Ready or not, civil engineering is about to undergo a major overhaul, one that will visit every aspect of this engineering discipline related to climate.  Increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are trapping more thermal energy, raising the Earth's temperature, and significantly disrupting the Earth's climate regulating systems. As a result, climate conditions are changing in ways and at a pace that was never contemplated nor incorporated into civil infrastructure design.  Climate change is overturning a foundational civil engineering assumption: past conditions are good predictors of future conditions. 

If climate conditions are no longer stationary, then many, if not most, of the climate-related civil engineering standards, especially prescriptive standards, are no longer reliable.  Civil infrastructure must be revised: designed or refurbished to handle changing climate and weather conditions through avoidance/retreat, accommodation, and adaptation.  In addition, civil infrastructure must be made carbon neutral, shifting to renewable energy sources and reducing embodied carbon in materials.

Here is the attraction.  Designing civil infrastructure for a changing climate represents an opportunity of a lifetime.  Civil engineers will get to revise the profession.  New approaches are needed to handle the deep uncertainties of future climate conditions.  Engineers with a sound understanding of what works and does not work will be sought after for their expertise and judgment as new technologies and methodologies arrive.  That answers my three questions.

When I was in school about 10 years ago, there was one option similar to what you and others in this thread are describing. I do not know if it still exists, but for a while, the NJ Stars program allowed students leaving high school who were either of a certain class rank or GPA to attend community college for free. From there, they could transfer into a 4 year institution (I forget what the rules were regarding transfer feasibility and if it had to be in-state after that). 

I don't know all the devils that were in the details here, but I can say that a small group of my graduating class did go this route. Their advisors were sometimes able to either waive certain classes or replace one class for a (somewhat) related class where the previous 2 years of school courses diverged. However, I recall that at least one or two of the students had to stay for an extra semester to take a final class or two due to scheduling conflicts while getting caught up during year 1 of transfer (aka year 3 of the 4 year program).

From the social acclimation perspective, most of these students were hard working and friendly, and thus able to assimilate into the class.

It brings to question the value of time vs money here. Is essentially a 4.5 or 5 year program plus a less-than-seamless transfer worth the discount on tuition vs the opportunity cost of a few months of work after graduation? Could the transfer process have been better? 

This is a good question for many majors, and one that raises further questions about academic institutions and intentional inaccessibility. - it becomes very difficult to join a program halfway through when that program wants your tuition dollars for all 4 or more years. 

Has anyone seen a pathway to becoming a civil engineer that starts with community college and/or an associate's degree? My prompt for this question is my high school teaching experience and the recent article "Change the Message-Change the World" in the May-June issue of Civil Engineering. I think there's more to it than messaging. and we need more tools in the tool kit if we really want to move the needle and attract more to civil engineering. 

I tutor Algebra 1 at a high school where most students are economically disadvantaged, and English is not their primary language. Last week, as I have done for the past four years, I talked to the students in the classes I tutor about engineering in general and civil engineering in detail. Unfortunately, their interest level was low. We can all guess the reasons. I can factually say the math skills of many in the class are poor, and this is not for want of trying. I also know that my math skills were poor at the end of ninth grade.I told the students not to give up on math - their aptitude towards abstraction will evolve as mine did - and to recognize that there are alternative pathways, including community college and technical training, as low-barrier ways to step into engineering. 

The ASCE could do me and these students a big favor by developing pathways beyond the conventional four-year degree and, in return, provide another tool to help grow the profession. It would be great to hear from others who share similar experiences or have different viewpoints and those in positions of influence. 

Has anyone seen a pathway to becoming a civil engineer that starts with community college and/or an associate's degree? My prompt for this question is my high school teaching experience and the recent article "Change the Message-Change the World" in the May-June issue of Civil Engineering. I think there's more to it than messaging. and we need more tools in the tool kit if we really want to move the needle and attract more to civil engineering. 

I tutor Algebra 1 at a high school where most students are economically disadvantaged, and English is not their primary language. Last week, as I have done for the past four years, I talked to the students in the classes I tutor about engineering in general and civil engineering in detail. Unfortunately, their interest level was low. We can all guess the reasons. I can factually say the math skills of many in the class are poor, and this is not for want of trying. I also know that my math skills were poor at the end of ninth grade.I told the students not to give up on math - their aptitude towards abstraction will evolve as mine did - and to recognize that there are alternative pathways, including community college and technical training, as low-barrier ways to step into engineering. 

The ASCE could do me and these students a big favor by developing pathways beyond the conventional four-year degree and, in return, provide another tool to help grow the profession. It would be great to hear from others who share similar experiences or have different viewpoints and those in positions of influence. 

Great discussions seeded with glimpses of useful practical experiences. I like to add a little to these lively discussions based on my read of the 2016 NAP Book #21739 – Barriers and Opportunities for 2-Year and 4-Year STEM Degrees.

Highlights of some messages or observations – the authors of this book have listed.

On Chapter 2 – Multiple STEM Pathways:

Interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) credentials continues to grow . . . Students are taking complex pathways to earning STEM credentials, often transferring among institutions, entering and exiting STEM pathways at different phases of their studies, and concurrently enrolling at more than one institution . . . The make-up of the student body is not the same as 25 years ago: students are more likely to be from minority groups and to be single parents . . . "On-time" completion of a credential is infrequent: only 22 percent of students aspiring to earn a STEM degree in 4 years achieve their goal . . . The completion rates for students who aspire to a STEM degree continue to be lower than those for students in many other fields, which has led to questions about the quality of the educational experiences for STEM students.

On Chapter 3 – The Culture of Undergraduate STEM Education:

The culture of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has an effect on many students' interest, self-concept, sense of connectedness, and persistence in these disciplines . . . New research is needed to understand whether STEM "gate-way" courses continue to negatively impact STEM student persistence due to the culture of the classrooms and a heavy reliance on lectures, as research from over a decade ago has revealed.

The discerned messages of the STEM education pathways (4-year college, community college, for-profit sector) and gate-way courses, led the authors to come up with some 6 conclusions and 9 recommendations.

Dilip

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Dr. Dilip K Barua, Ph.D

Website Links and Profile

Has anyone seen a pathway to becoming a civil engineer that starts with community college and/or an associate's degree? My prompt for this question is my high school teaching experience and the recent article "Change the Message-Change the World" in the May-June issue of Civil Engineering. I think there's more to it than messaging. and we need more tools in the tool kit if we really want to move the needle and attract more to civil engineering. 

I tutor Algebra 1 at a high school where most students are economically disadvantaged, and English is not their primary language. Last week, as I have done for the past four years, I talked to the students in the classes I tutor about engineering in general and civil engineering in detail. Unfortunately, their interest level was low. We can all guess the reasons. I can factually say the math skills of many in the class are poor, and this is not for want of trying. I also know that my math skills were poor at the end of ninth grade.I told the students not to give up on math - their aptitude towards abstraction will evolve as mine did - and to recognize that there are alternative pathways, including community college and technical training, as low-barrier ways to step into engineering. 

The ASCE could do me and these students a big favor by developing pathways beyond the conventional four-year degree and, in return, provide another tool to help grow the profession. It would be great to hear from others who share similar experiences or have different viewpoints and those in positions of influence.