August 17, 2009

Engineering college plans ‘Success Week’

by Tim Crosby

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- New and transferring engineering students at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will experience a host of events aimed at acclimating them to college life and introducing them to the area this week.

“Engineering Success Week” begins on Wednesday, Aug. 19, with students moving into the living/learning communities set aside for engineering students at Thompson Point. The college will host a pizza party that evening in the Engineering Building courtyard.

John W. Nicklow, associate dean of the College of Engineering, said the effort allows students to socialize with other students and faculty, meet older students who will act as mentors and check into residence halls early.

“Engineering Success Week is the college's opportunity to welcome new students to the University and emphasize that they are now an integral part of our engineering community,” Nicklow said. “We're also working with students on team building, study skills, communication, and, well, having fun!”


Media Advisory

Reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to cover “Engineering Success Week” events. For more information, contact Judy Greer, administrative aide in recruitment at SIUC’s College of Engineering, at 618/453-7789 or email at jagreer@siu.edu.


Events get rolling on Thursday, Aug. 20, with a full day of activities and travel set for students. The day begins at 7 a.m. with breakfast in the cafeteria at Lentz Hall, followed by a welcoming event at 8:30 a.m. in room A111 in the Engineering Building. At 9:30 a.m., students will participate in team initiatives, which are aimed at breaking the ice and introducing students to one another, faculty and staff.

At 11:30 a.m., students will board busses bound for lunch at Giant City Lodge. Following lunch, the busses will take students to the Touch of Nature Environmental Center, where they will conduct further team initiatives until 4:45 p.m., when they will head back to their residence hall at Thompson Point.

After dinner, the college will play host to an evening of bowling and billiards at the SIUC Student Center until 8 p.m.

On Friday, Aug. 21, the University will hold a variety of welcoming events and engineering students will start the day again with breakfast at Lentz, Trueblood and University halls. Later, they can enjoy a free cookout beginning at 10:30 a.m. at Grinnell, Lentz, Trueblood and University halls, sponsored by University Housing. University Hall will serve dinner from 4 to 6:30 p.m. while Lentz and Trueblood halls will serve from 4 to 7 p.m.

Classes for fall semester at SIUC begin on Monday, Aug. 24.

“Engineering Success Week” runs concurrently with the University-wide “Week of Welcome 2009,” which includes several weeks of special activities and events aimed at welcoming students to SIUC. “Week of Welcome 2009” kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 20 and lasts through Sept. 11.