Student Chapters An Adjunct To Engineering Education

New engineering graduates are expected to possess an ever-expanding array of skills. Yet, classroom synthesis is not conducive to many of these proficiencies. Student professional societies can help cultivate valuable interpersonal, professional and technical skills through a variety of extracurricular activities. The success of a student chapter can be as valuable as the curriculum in defining the quality of an engineering department. This success can be framed by the ability to: foster retention by building student camaraderie; develop leadership skills; and expand individual awareness of societal responsibility and personal empowerment. Chapter activities may enhance engineering principles, can involve students in complex projects requiring teamwork – from conceptualization to fruition, and provide interaction with professional contacts. These objectives can be realized through multiple means, including intercollegiate competitions, public outreach, and community service. Building a thriving student chapter requires both investment and risk. Faculty advisors can use multiple techniques to help foster success, including identifying and encouraging strong student leaders and constructing a cooperative cohort of student peers. The faculty and student participants must also mitigate factors such as limited resources, personality conflicts, and the potential for undesirable behavior by some students. These lessons are illustrated by two representative undertakings at CSU, Chico. During the 2002 fall semester, over 60% of the civil engineering majors voluntarily developed, funded, coordinated and conducted a celebration of the 150 anniversary of ASCE, centered around 1000 visitors from public schools. Also, over seven years, CSU, Chico has participated in the steel bridge competition, with varying degrees of success – from disqualification at the regional qualifier to a national title.