Penn State Multicultural Engineering Program

GivingTuesday season is here! Join the Penn State Multicultural Engineering Program in celebrating the We Are spirit by becoming a champion of the Engineering Summer Bridge Program. Your generous support of the Engineering Summer Bridge program today is the first step in cultivating a success network for incoming first-year students, enhancing their academic preparation and belonging in the Penn State College of Engineering! Early giving is open now through November 28. https://lnkd.in/eea_E2BF #GivingTuesday #WeAre #EngineeingSummerBridgeProgram #MulticulturalEngineeringProgram #PennStateEngineering #TogetherWeAre

In November, the Penn State’s Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP) hosted an unforgettable event, aimed on building community and creating connections among the students in the program. The MEP Game Night | November 11th Held in Kunkle lounge, the night was filled with some exciting games that brought us closer together through friendly competition, laughter, and fun — truly a time to remember! Beyond the games, we also took time to discuss stress-relief strategies and explored campus wellness resources to support one another during exam season and other stressful times. A special thank you to Eduardo Granata Rodriguez and Lauren Griggs, PhD for putting together such a fun and impactful night!

Over the past month, the Penn State Multi-Cultural Engineering Program (MEP) has hosted two incredible events aimed at empowering our students in both their professional and academic journeys. MEP Night on Navigating Career Fairs (Sept 9th): We had the privilege of 4 outstanding upper-class-students Joseph De Vito, Taylor Joseph, Valeria Ortiz, Benjamin Ofori-Kuragu who shared their insights on the preparing for the upcoming career fair, approaching and networking with the recruiters and perfecting the important elevator pitch. A special thanks to Gabriel Gayoso who held a mock interview to demonstrate how to effectively answer behavioral questions. MEP Night on Scholarships and Resources (Sept 30th): The focus of this MEP night was on scholarships and funding. MEP Director Lauren Griggs, PhD discussed the College of Engineering Scholarship application, and Taylor Joseph highlighted funding options for study abroad programs. We were thrilled to have Kelly Griffith from the Penn State Chaiken Center for Student Success share information about the Complete Penn State Scholarship, and Sarah Alvarado Metzger Metzger from the @Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center spoke on the importance of understanding loans and financial resources. opportunities for students. The response to these two events was amazing and we heard amazing feedback from students on gaining some insightful information from these two events. This motivated us to organize more exciting events throughout the semester. Look out for information for the upcoming events on our instagram @psu_mep. ?A special thanks to Dr. Lauren Griggs and Eduardo Granata Rodriguez for ensuring the smooth running of these events and making them a success!

The Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP) kicked off the school year with an exciting and engaging Ice Cream Social! ?? This was our most well-attended event in recent years, bringing together 148 engineering students—both new and returning. It provided a fantastic opportunity for students to connect, learn more about MEP and its branch programs, and explore the valuable resources and support MEP offers. Among these resources are the Academic Excellence Center, where students can receive tutoring and academic guidance, the Engineering Peer Advising Leaders (EPALS), and the Career Envoys, who assist with professional development. We also highlighted key student organizations like NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers), SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers), SASE (Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers), WIREDIN, and OSTEM (Out in STEM), encouraging students to get involved and expand their network. We were excited to introduce this year’s 7 MEP Envoys Zainob Adeyemi, Sydney Crews, Joy Ikem, Jamar Mitchell, Sebastian Nieves, Areen Parab, and Anwi Tadzong, who played an essential role in making the event a success. We’d like to thank the MEPO Lead Mentors Benjamin Ofori-Kuragu, Stella Kibinda, and Taylor Joseph who facilitated interactive games that not only tested the students' knowledge but also encouraged collaboration and teamwork. These activities fostered conversations and connections, helping students bond over shared challenges and experiences within their respective majors. By working together, students were able to form friendships, further strengthening the sense of community within the engineering program. A special thank you goes out to Eduardo Granata Rodriguez and Lauren Griggs, PhD for their unwavering support and dedication to MEP. Your commitment truly makes events like this possible! ??

MEPO 2024: A week filled with growth, laughter, and memories: The Multicultural Engineering Program Orientation (MEPO) 2024 was a trip back in time. From August 20th-23rd, we had the pleasure of welcoming 97 eager and motivated first-year engineering students to fast-forward their journey at The Penn State University on an unforgettable 4-day journey. ??Workshops: No college journey is like another and Assistant Program Coordinators, Ulises Henríquez and Justina Nguyen shared their failures and how they transformed them into success. As two highly decorated and involved individuals this reality gave the participants perspective as to how they will conquer challenges and use them as fuel to defeat them. ???? Design Competition: Students were faced with prominent global issues within each decade including the Influenza Flu(1910’s), The Global Depression(1930’s), The Alaskan Oil Spill(1980’s), and The Gas Price Energy Surge(1970’s). Organizers, Jonathon Hope, Morgan Dawkins, Jaamir Shaw, and Kenneth Carter Jr., provided a supportive environment where participants learned how to develop and present a technical presentation. ??Networking Reception: The MEPO event concluded on a high note with a Networking Reception, offering students the valuable opportunity to connect with industry professionals and Penn State alumni. A special acknowledgement to speakers, Dr. Tamy Guimar?es and Dr. Amy Freeman for sharing their experiences in their career and personal lives to connect with the incoming first-year students. Both experiences left the students with a range of questions and incitement into the different career paths that engineers can have in education. MEPO 2024 was an outstanding success, made possible by the dedication and efforts of everyone involved. A sincere appreciation to our Program Coordinators, Claire Klaye and Grace Apuzzi, whose hard work was essential to the success of this program. As we close this chapter, we look ahead with excitement to MEPO 2025. With each passing year, we continue to raise the bar and strive for even greater excellence. Here's to reaching new heights! #Networking #MEPO2024 Penn State College of Engineering #NewHeights #Growth #FutureEngineers #STEMEducation #Mentorship #StudentSuccess

Before summer slips through our fingers, let's reflect on the summer and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our Engineering Summer Bridge Program (ESB) participants! This intensive 6-week academic enhancement initiative for incoming first-year students in the College of Engineering was a remarkable experience from June 15th to July 26th, 2023. Twenty–eight enthusiastic first-year students and seven dedicated second-year student assistants united as a community and formed lasting bonds as they entered their collegiate career. They explored pre-Calculus/Calculus, Chemistry, and the principles of Metacognition, learning effective strategies for academic success. The program went beyond textbooks and lectures, offering hands-on experiences and collaborative learning opportunities. A major highlight was the introduction of the Reseach class led by Cynthia Reed. The participants learned the importance of research, the steps involved in approaching problems that need solutions and concluded their class with a research project about the sustainability of cement.? It wasn’t all work; community-building activities and an engaging visit to The Baltimore Aquarium provided valuable insights into real-world research and the sustainability of aquariums. ?Not only did the participants work hard in the classroom, but they worked even harder volunteering for the community. The ESB participants, mentors, directors, and staff worked diligently during the IRONMAN Foundation Challenge held in State College, in which they provided the competitors with refreshments and encouraging words. These 28 students have set their foundation for their Penn State career and set a solid foundation for the MEP community. A heartfelt thanks to the participants, mentors, and everyone who contributed to making this summer such a remarkable success! Know someone who could benefit from the Engineering Summer Bridge Program? Check out our website: https://lnkd.in/ehQrB7ET #PennStateEngineering #EngineeringSummerBridge #FirstYearProgram #EngineeringExcellence #FutureEngineers Penn State University Penn State College of Engineering

Exciting regional highlight of Penn State Multicultural Engineering Program activities for incoming first year students and spotlight of our Director Lauren Griggs, PhD who serves as the National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates (NAMEPA) Inc Membership Chair! Penn State College of Engineering

Last Monday, the College of Engineering hosted the Engineering Ahead Leadership Conference at University Park! Incoming first-year engineering students from the Engineering Ahead programs at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks and Penn State Abington and from the Engineering Summer Bridge Program at University Park came together for a day of networking, campus facilities tours, learning about research opportunities at Penn State and a tour of Happy Valley LaunchBox powered by PNC Bank. Learn more about these programs that help students prepare for their engineering majors at Penn State ? https://bit.ly/3SrdTZ8 #PennState #PennStateEngineering #SummerBridge?#BridgeProgram #EngineeringAhead #Leadership

Extremely proud of our Engineering Summer Bridge participants’ final robotics competition! Their innovative presentations and exciting course navigation blew us away!! #MEP #ESB #Reflection

??? Reflecting on a remarkable year at Penn State's Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP), we celebrated our last MEP Night on April 22nd—a special evening honoring the achievements of our graduating class of Spring 2024 and the vibrant community that makes MEP shine. This year, our MEP programming witnessed incredible engagement from students, alumni, and CoE faculty/staff, fostering a dynamic environment for growth and collaboration. We're immensely proud to recognize the outstanding contributions of all our students. We would like to recognize the following remarkable students as recipients of our MEP Awards for the 2023-2024 academic year. Their dedication and leadership have left an indelible mark on MEP, inspiring us all to strive for excellence. The MEP Emerging Leader Award highlights a first-year student who has contributed to fostering an inclusive community with active engagement in the Multicultural Engineering Program, throughout their first year. This year’s recipients are Anwi Tadzong and Claire Rawlins. The MEP Outstanding Mentor Award celebrates upper-level mentors who have made a significant impact on the social and academic integration of their first-year mentees within the Multicultural Engineering Program. This year’s award was presented to Maya Haywood. The MEP Outstanding Leader Award honors student leaders within the Multicultural Engineering Program who have worked tirelessly to give back to the MEP community. These student leaders have a dedication and drive to positively impact the Multicultural Engineering Program, creating an inclusive environment for all. Our four recipients for this year’s award were Jimmy Sek, Gisselle Zuniga, Matthew Philip Cimafranca, and Summer Walker. Following our awards recognition, the main portion of the night was dedicated to our graduating seniors ??. Our graduates shared their reflections and words of wisdom, it became evident how deeply they've impacted our community. The outpouring of appreciation from their peers underscored the profound influence they've had during their time with us. To our graduates in attendance at the celebration: Camila Ayala, Adriana Blanco Diaz, Jalynn Burruss, Matthew Philip Cimafranca, Maya Haywood, Jimmy Sek, George Vicente, Wilmary Ulloa, Summer Walker, Gisselle Zuniga, and to all our MEP graduates, we extend our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for your future endeavors. Your journey doesn't end here—it's the beginning of a new chapter filled with boundless opportunities to inspire change and make a difference. Here's to the Class of 2024 and the continued growth of our MEP family. Let's keep shining together! ?? #MEP #PennStateEngineering #EngineeringExcellence #Graduation2024 #FutureLeaders