Order of the Engineer
After our Senior Design Clinic Show, graduating seniors participate in the Order of the Engineer Ceremony, where they recite an oath and receive a steel ring worn on the fifth finger of the working hand.
Culture and Traditions
The University of St. Thomas’ School of Engineering is a great place to study but we also like to have fun. We have a great welcoming and inclusive culture with many traditions that make becoming an engineer at St. Thomas a truly special place.
Check out our clubs! We have clubs for everyone where you can network, make friends and have the opportunity to travel to regional and national conferences. And we host fun competitions – like our annual Machine Design and Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) competitions, Rocket Club and Concrete Bowling.
We also have a hat day on the first day it snows for our new engineering students. And when you are finished with your engineering studies, on the evening of the Senior Design Clinic Show, we hold the Order of the Engineer ceremony where all graduating seniors take an oath and receive a ring to be worn as a reminder of their commitment to high ethics and professionalism.
Some of our Culture
Diversity and Inclusion
We are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive community for our students, faculty and staff. Our education emphasizes cultural awareness training dispersed throughout the curriculum that begins with listening to all stakeholders and understanding diverse perspectives. We celebrate engaging with difference as a positive proactive approach to educating engineers prepared to work on inclusive teams.
Entrepreneurial Engineering
The University of St. Thomas is a proud member of the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) and has become a KEEN partner with over 36 colleges and universities across the United States. As such, we are dedicated to transforming our undergraduate engineering programs with the entrepreneurial mindset to elevate America’s engineering workforce and economy.
Liberal Arts and Engineering
We know that the development and adoption of critical technologies in energy, transportation, medicine, environment, food and water resources will not come to pass with a singular focus on the science alone. The best solutions require a broad understanding of society and the political environment in which these technologies must endure. The Liberal Arts education gives the St. Thomas engineer the power to see these other dimensions to problems and interact directly with many types of people to solve some of our most pressing needs.
Starts on Day One
Experience first-hand what a student-centered engineering education can do for you. From day one, we work to build connections with you and your professors and our community. We structure your education around marketable hands-on skills. You will have the opportunity to do research with faculty, have tech-internships with numerous companies in the Twin Cities, design and solve real world problems for an industry sponsor (as a part of our Senior Design Clinic) and even study abroad.
Diversity and Inclusion
We are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive community for our students, faculty and staff. Our education emphasizes cultural awareness training dispersed throughout the curriculum that begins with listening to all stakeholders and understanding diverse perspectives. We celebrate engaging with difference as a positive proactive approach to educating engineers prepared to work on inclusive teams.
Entrepreneurial Engineering
The University of St. Thomas is a proud member of the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) and has become a KEEN partner with over 36 colleges and universities across the United States. As such, we are dedicated to transforming our undergraduate engineering programs with the entrepreneurial mindset to elevate America’s engineering workforce and economy.
Liberal Arts and Engineering
We know that the development and adoption of critical technologies in energy, transportation, medicine, environment, food and water resources will not come to pass with a singular focus on the science alone. The best solutions require a broad understanding of society and the political environment in which these technologies must endure. The Liberal Arts education gives the St. Thomas engineer the power to see these other dimensions to problems and interact directly with many types of people to solve some of our most pressing needs.
Starts on Day One
Experience first-hand what a student-centered engineering education can do for you. From day one, we work to build connections with you and your professors and our community. We structure your education around marketable hands-on skills. You will have the opportunity to do research with faculty, have tech-internships with numerous companies in the Twin Cities, design and solve real world problems for an industry sponsor (as a part of our Senior Design Clinic) and even study abroad.
A few of our traditions
First Snow Hats
In Minne-snow-ta, you must embrace winter. And at the School of Engineering, we do. So all first-year and new transfer students are given a hat to keep them warm all winter. Usually on the first day it snows … on a weekday. A great way to help show some Engineering pride and care for our students too.
Concrete Bowling
Our Civil Engineering program participates in a friendly competition using what else? Concrete bowling balls they make themselves.
Engineering Clubs
For some, college is all work and no play. For you, it can be both. Get involved in one of our engineering clubs. Build a bridge, create a robot, get involved in creating a more sustainable planet, turn plastic into construction material and make an actual difference in the St. Thomas community, and the world. We also have clubs for those looking for people like themselves and those that might want to learn about a more diverse group.
Engineering Competitions
Like some friendly competition? Whether part of a class – like our Machine Design course or our Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) competition in Ohio, which is part of our Senior Design Capstone, we have lots of competitions to keep you learning from peers and sweating a little on how well your team will do. Also some of our clubs have competitions like for example our Rocket Club.
The Fowler Business Concept Challenge
Participating in the Fowler Business Concept Challenge may be an assignment as a part of an engineering class or you can enter on your own. Engineering students have entered this challenge and many engineering students have place first or second. Winning teams receive monetary prizes for their ideas.
Engineering Living Learning Community (LLC)
The Pathways to Engineering (P2E) living learning community is specifically designed to foster a community among first-year engineering students who are interested in the field of engineering. In addition to living together in one of the residence halls, this LLC takes the Intro to Engineering Design course in the fall.