The General Engineering Learning Community (GELC) is a project bringing together first-year engineering students who are focused on supporting each other’s journey to becoming successful students and future engineering professionals.
Since Calculus I is a corequisite for the first course in the engineering curriculum pathway, students who do not place in Calculus I will have to delay their engineering coursework until Spring semester of their first year. The GELC program offers an alternative solution, expanding the traditional Fall/Spring first-year student curriculum into three terms: Fall/Spring/Summer. This extra time allows GELC students to build confidence in their academic abilities and absorb difficult math and engineering concepts. The program enables them to complete their required STEM courses on time so they will transition from General Engineering to their specific engineering major at the beginning of their sophomore year.
Students who begin in the GELC in their first semester apply to continue in the program as Boyd Scholars during the Summer term of their first year at Clemson. Boyd Scholars are students in the GELC selected to complete their summer courses at Clemson in the Long Summer academic term. The award will cover the tuition and fees for the 7-credit hours required in the summer, along with summer housing and a summer meal plan. The Boyd Scholars Program is made possible by a generous gift from the Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Foundation.
Acceptance as a Boyd Scholar is competitive and based on grades in GELC courses, participation in GELC requirements, the strength of the student's application responses, and availability of funding.
Participation in the GELC/Boyd Scholars programs is optional—students may choose to join or not join the program when selecting classes during summer orientation. However, not joining the program will delay your engineering coursework to the Spring 2024 term. You would also not be eligible for these programs' additional benefits, such as involvement in the learning community with other students and a professional skills and learning strategies course. You will still need to complete courses in Summer 2024 to change your major out of General Engineering by the start of the Fall 2024 semester or delay a change of major to the end of the Fall 2024 semester. However, you would not be able to apply for the Boyd Scholars award to cover these expenses.
ENGR 1000 [1] Major Discovery Seminar
ENGR 1010 [3] Engineering Applied Math
ENGL 1030 [3] Accelerated Composition
ENGR 1100 [2] Engineering Success Skills (Part 1 of 2)
ENGR 1510 [3] First-Year Engineering (Part 1 of 3)
CH 1010 [4] General Chemistry I
—
16 credit hours
Note:
Students will enroll with other GELC students for all courses shown in orange.
ENGR 1110 [1] Engineering Success Skills (Part 2 of 2)
ENGR 1520 [2] First-Year Engineering (Part 2 of 3)
MATH 1060 [4] Calculus I
PHYS 1220 [3] Physics I + (if needed) PHYS 1240 [1] Physics Lab
Gen Ed Req [3] General Education Requirement
(if needed) Engineering Graphics [2]
—
13-15 credit hours
Note:
Students will enroll with other GELC students for all courses shown in orange.
Non-ENGR courses may vary depending on intended major.
ENGR 1640 [3] First-Year Engineering (Part 3 of 3) or CHE 1300 [3] Introduction to Chemical Engineering
MATH 1080 [4] Calculus II
—
7 credit hours
I feel that dividing my traditional two-term freshman curriculum into three terms helped me adapt to the college workload better. The smaller classrooms allowed me to be able to make better connections with my classmates and a good relationship with my professor. The connections that I made through this program are very valuable and they inspire me to strive for excellence.
Receiving [the Boyd] scholarship is an immense blessing for me, as it will significantly alleviate the financial burden associated with pursuing higher education and helping get back on track to graduating on my desired date. [This scholarship] symbolizes hope, encouragement, and the belief that hard work and dedication can lead to a brighter future. It has provided me with a renewed sense of motivation and confidence in pursuing my academic and career goals.
Our goal is to see students entering the General Engineering program have a successful first year and continue to the second year of engineering. Please preview the FAQ below for information on who is eligible to participate in the General Engineering Learning Community and/or Boyd Scholars Program.
The GELC is open to new undergraduate students from the United States majoring in General Engineering, who are invited and selected for the program based on their math preparation in high school. During summer orientation, an advisor will inform you if you are eligible to join this program.
You should plan to join the GELC if any of the following apply to you:
The program begins on the first day of classes.
You can live anywhere on campus as part of the GELC! This program is designed to complement other on-campus programs, including Living/Learning Community (LLC) experiences, such as Residents in Science & Engineering (RISE) and CONNECTIONS. We do, however, encourage you to choose the RISE LLC as your housing option to best complement your GELC experience.
Absolutely! Think of the GELC program as an “AND” program, not an “OR” program. If you are part of the GELC, you can be in this program AND other support programs on campus.
There is no fee for this program! Services are provided at no additional cost.
Boyd Scholars are students in the GELC who are selected to complete their summer courses at Clemson in the long summer academic term. The award will cover the tuition and fees for the 7-credit hours required in the summer, along with your summer housing and summer meal plan.
The Boyd Scholars program, made possible by a generous gift from the Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Foundation, gives students the time to become successful without the additional financial burden of the necessary additional summer or full-term to remain on track with the engineering curriculum.
Boyd Scholars are chosen using an invitation-only application process.
The Boyd Scholar application process will begin during the Spring 2024 semester.
All applicants will be notified of their status during the Spring 2024 semester, likely around spring break.
In the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 terms, there is no difference. All students are part of GELC. During Spring 2024, GELC students can apply to become Boyd scholars. Students selected as Boyd Scholars will still take the same three-term course sequence as GELC students but will receive an award covering expenses to complete the third term in Summer 2024.
Yes. Boyd Scholars will take the required courses during the Long Summer session on-campus at Clemson, with the cost of tuition, housing, and a meal plan for the Summer 2024 term covered. GELC students can take the summer courses at Clemson or a different institution at their own expense. GELC students also have the option to continue with courses in the Fall 2024 term, though this would delay a change of major to December 2024.
Yes. However, not joining the program will delay your engineering coursework to the Spring 2024 term. You would also not be eligible for the additional benefits of these programs, such as involvement in the learning community with other students and a professional skills and learning strategies course. You will still need to complete courses in Summer 2024 to change your major out of General Engineering by the start of the Fall 2024 semester or delay a change of major until the end of the Fall 2024 semester; however, you will not be able to apply for the award that would cover these expenses.
Please reach out with any questions on the General Engineering Learning Community.
Dr. Beth Stephan
Director of Academics, General Engineering Program
☏ Phone: (864) 656-2542
✉ Email: bethste@clemson.edu
