Academic & Student Affairs Sponsorship Opportunities
Life Takes Engineering & YOU!
Engagement. Investment. Partnership.
At Speed School, students play such a variety of roles – students, employees, practicing engineers, budding leaders, that putting them on the path to success is multi-faceted. Help may come in the form of scholarship assistance, tutoring or mentorship or it may be as practical as simply having the right clothes to feel confident at a job or co-op interview. community. Academic and Student Affairs is the place where your investment will pay off in creating the next generation of talented leaders who will make their mark – and make change in our world wherever they go.
The mission of the Academic and Leadership Center (ALC) is to support students in growing as engineers and leaders. Since engineering is one of the most academically rigorous programs at UofL, many engineering students seek tutoring and academic support. Prior to August 2018 the UofL REACH tutoring center offered free tutoring for several lower level basic science and math courses such as chemistry, physics and calculus. However there was no tutoring available for engineering specific courses. In August 2018 the Speed School Academic and Leadership Center (ALC), a partnership between SSoE and REACH, opened in the JB Speed building room 107. This space is open for tutoring, group studying, and leadership programming. The center hosts over 50 hours per week of scheduled tutoring sessions, supplemental instruction sessions, and walk-in tutoring. The tutors are selected and trained by REACH.
The leadership development programs are offered through ALC in cooperation with the co-op office and Office of Student Success. To aid students in developing leadership skills and access to resources, this programming will include alumni speakers, lunch & learns with offices on campus, a semester long leadership development program, a first year networking program, and resilence training. The ALC is one of the few tutoring centers in the country dedicated to engineering specific courses and staffed with trained tutors.
Need sponsorship to renovate space ($150,000) and annual operating costs for tutors and leadership programming.
The ELLC is a residential community of 220 freshman engineering students who live together in a residence hall. The ELLC provides personal, academic, and professional support to first-year engineering students through various programs and activities throughout the year. As a member of the ELLC, students are housed in the Community Park residence hall, placed in an Eng. focused house and have access to:
- On-site tutoring services for calculus, chemistry, and physics provided by Resources for Academic Achievement (REACH)
- Peer mentoring by a Speed School upperclassman, who holds weekly office hours in the ELLC residence hall and communicates regularly with ELLC members
- Academic counseling by academic advisors, who hold weekly office hours in the ELLC residence hall
- Engineering-based programming to improve study skills, explore careers, and network with peers and professionals
- Social and wellness events
Need sponsorship to provide various programming at ELLC including tutors, peer mentors, social events.
Speed students are required to have a laptop/tablet that meets certain specifications. These can cost upwards of $2,000 and are an additional cost to our students. For some students, this financial barrier influences whether they choose to attend Speed. This program loans laptops to students in need. Length of loan can be 1-8 semesters.
Need funds to purchase/replace laptops each year.
Students completing a Speed degree are required to obtain a co-op. When interviewing, professionalism matters. Having a clothing closet within Speed School allows students to borrow professional clothes they may not be able to afford to purchase.
Need funds to purchase/replace professional clothing.
The J. B. Speed School of Engineering mentoring program is in its third year with engineering alumni or professionals assisting students with a variety of issues including career discussions. This learning and development partnership is available to Speed students in each year of their educational experience. Professional engineers and alumni (known as career mentors) assist with a variety of challenges that second year through graduate students face.
Career mentors assist the students make better decisions, encourage class attendance and performance while assisting in making visible the challenges a student will face throughout their time at Speed and in the future upon graduation as a professional engineer. Mentors also assist in leadership development, networking skills, and provide a diverse perspective, honest feedback and become trusted advisors to students.
An integral part of the Speed School Admissions team are the student ambassadors; current SSoE students who give prospective students and their families tours, support admissions functions and participate in various SSoE recruiting events. Student Ambassadors are an extremely import part of the SSoE recruiting and admissions team as prospective students are often apt to connect with current students. Student ambassadors support our efforts to recruit incoming freshmen, transfer students, and international student.
Funding needed to hire more student ambassadors as number of interested students increases.
There are 50+ engineering student organizations housed in Speed School. The Student organization funds allow students to travel to professional conferences and attend other professional development programs.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
More often than we would hope, some Speed School students encounter emergency financial need. The Emergency Scholarship fund is used to support and retain Speed School students in academic good standing who have a emergent need for funds.
Additional scholarship funds are needed to improve student aid packages to remain competitive among engineering institutions. Additional scholarship funds will help to improve our enrollment among underrepresented minority groups in engineering, especially those of color and women. Additional scholarships funds will also help to close the gap for students that are low SES and coming from rural areas that typically receive lower or no scholarship offers.
Scholarship funds needed.
Many students are interested in obtaining a co-op outside the city of Louisville, but the financial burden of relocating can eliminate that as an option. Scholarships to support relocation could assist our students in seeking opportunities nationwide.
Need funds to help co-op students pay relocation costs.
Studying abroad allows a student to grow both personally and professionally. Funding can be a barrier for students to broaden their horizon. Providing scholarships allows the university to ease the hurdles associated with traveling abroad.
Need funds to help students in need pay study abroad costs.
OUTREACH
Speed School’s Outreach programs educate and excite K-12 students about engineering. Many hands-on engineering activities are demonstrated at local schools and at special events at Speed School, UofL, and throughout the region.
Speed School has three signature partnerships with local middle schools; West End School, Nativity Academy and Central High School. These signature partnerships allow us to provide engineering education in the middle and high schools’ makerspace. Speed School provides weekly engineering education, campus visits and hack-a-thons. In addition, full tuition scholarships to Speed School are provided to students who graduate from WES, Nativity and CHS that are admitted into Speed School.
Speed School offers approximately 12 camps each summer for students in grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Camp themes include: learn coding, build drones, create plastic models on a 3-D printer, and game app development.
Need funds to support outreach programming, K-12 curriculm grants, Girls Rule STEM+H Summit, Promise Zone Camp, field trips, mobile education, signature school partnerships, and summer camp scholarships.
DIVERSITY INITIATIVES
The Engineering Academy is a 2-week bridge program for incoming freshmen identified as needing intentional, additional support. This program provides daily math preparation, opportunities to meet and interact with faculty, meet one-on-one with their assigned academic counselor, and engage with the university and Louisville community.
Need funds to expand this program would allow us to impact additional incoming freshmen.
The following diversity-based initiatives cultivate a welcoming environment for all Speed School students.
- Diversity Speaker Series: Speed School hosts a speaker series addressing the need for diversity and mentorship within Engineering.
- Diversity Week: Each fall, Speed School and UofL provide events and programming that celebrate the cultures, languages, and lifestyles of our students and community to make this a more inclusive campus.
- Training events: Speed School offers the following training events to students, faculty and staff: LGBTQ Safe Zone, Title IX, supporting low-income students, engage first-gen families to drive student success, facilitating culturally inclusive meetings.
Need sponsorship to pay for diversity week and training webinar.
This annual day-long conference is dedicated to the professional development and personal growth of both current and future women engineering students. Alongside a keynote speaker, current faculty and staff provide networking opportunities, panels, and seminars to women currently enrolled in Speed. Prospective students and their families are also invited to the keynote speaker and lunch.
Funds needed to host event.
Speed School is home to Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) that support diversity such as the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the Society of Hispanic and Professional Engineers (SHPE), the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), and Speed Spectrum. These RSOs need funds to support travel to regional and national conferences.
Speed School is committed to increasing the diversity of its student population. This goal is greatly aided by:
- Scholarship support for underrepresented students.
- Financial assistance for dual credit enrollment, which enables high school seniors to take Speed School courses at a discount for both college and high school credit.
- Hosting events (campus visit programs, engineering seminars, and field trips) for underrepresented K-12 students to expose them to the campus environment and Speed School, helping recruitment and future integration.
LEADERSHIP PROGRAMMING
This three day retreat brings together a the leading nationally recognized college leadership program and 60 engineering students to learn, engage, and practice ethical leadership. These life long lessons will support our students within the classroom, life and their career.
Funds needed.
This eight week certificate program will run twice a year and serve 40 students annually. Student gain tools, tips and techniques on basic leadership skills: communication, problem solving, team building. By the end of the program students will have met with key leaders in industry as well as complete a service project.
The Alumni speaker series will bring together students and alumni to discuss a variety of topics which will be useful as students begin their journey into industry. This event will happen once a semester.
Funds needed.
Transitioning to college is one of the most difficult transitions a person will make in their life. A successful transition will influence the success in college for students. This five week program will bring students together to discuss success strategies and supports needed to be successful. Programming will include time management, how to adjust to college, best practices to interacting with faculty.
Funds needed.
Contact
Contact Us
Dr. Natalie Oliner
Interim Director, Student Success
502-852-1229
natalie.oliner@louisville.edu