Undergraduate Recruitment

Message from Interim Dean, R. Larry Dooley

This year Clemson is marking the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act, which provided for a national land-grant system of agricultural and industrial colleges. These schools were charged with promoting “the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life.” Sounds a little like workforce and economic development, doesn’t it?

Contributing to a workforce that can be productive in a global economy continues to be one of Clemson University’s core missions. Our academic program, particularly in the College of Engineering and Science (CoES) provides a number of experiential learning opportunities that require students to transfer their knowledge and experiences from the classroom and apply them in work environments.

Creative Inquiry is an imaginative combination of engaged learning and undergraduate research that plays a key role in what we like to refer to as the “Clemson Experience.” Students take on problems that spring from their own curiosity, from a professor's challenge or from the pressing needs of the world around them. Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries (CEDC), a Creative Inquiry team advised by Dr. Lance Bell, professor of civil engineering, took on the challenge of designing a water system for Cange, Haiti. This project was recognized with the prestigious Commission on Higher Education Service Learning Award, an annual honor given to a public four-year college for “a meaningful service learning opportunity” that incorporates academic learning with service to the community.

More than half of CoES undergraduates make a co-op or internship part of their undergraduate experience. Melissa McPartland, a senior in mechanical engineering, has been honored by the American Society of Engineering Education with the 2011 Top Co-op of the Year Award. She was recognized for her acoustic testing and assembly work completed during three rotations at BMW Manufacturing in Spartanburg, SC. One of her projects has been recognized at BMW’s research and development center in Munich, Germany where she will complete two more rotations before completing her undergraduate studies.

Clearly, Clemson realizes that preparing students for successful careers means providing much more than specialized technical knowledge. Engineers and scientists must also understand the social and business implications of their work. They must be able to communicate their ideas to a range of people. They must be able to work effectively in teams. Above all, they must be willing and able to provide leadership in solving society’s problems.