By Dr. Ronald Bennett
As a direct participant in the education of our students, and a link to our alumni, it’s always difficult to know if my perception of these individuals is objective, or not. So, I asked a skilled writer and observer of technical professionals to review the accomplishments and writings of some of our graduate students and alumni, and tell me how he would describe them and what 'value added' our programs were providing.
His response was interesting: he said "The School of Engineering graduate studies program is ...
- Creating doers, leaders, collaborators, partners
- Anticipating change, competition, opportunity
- Developing character, principles and ethical standards
- Applying knowledge, expertise, creativity and experience
... to design and build a better world for tomorrow and decades to come."
He went on to say that our graduate students and alumni were multi-dimensional individuals, not only pursuing careers and furthering their education, but contributing to society in many ways: leading Habitat for Humanity projects, establishing Engineers Without Borders, serving in our armed forces, mentoring youth, and it goes on.
I was, of course, happy with this assessment. While it is an honor to be able to assist in these accomplishments, it is the internal drive and motivation of the students themselves that is to be congratulated.
