PVTIDE IntroSmith College

Smith CollegePVTIDE Academic Partner

Susannah Howe2 August 2005

Overview

• Smith Snapshot

• Picker Engineering Program

• Involving Engineering Students

• Other Smith Connections

Smith College

• Largest liberal arts college for women• Founded in 1871• 2700 students• 300 faculty• 37 departments and programs• 1000 different courses

Picker Engineering Program

• Founded in 2000• First graduates in

2004• 25-35 students/year • 10+ faculty• ABET

accreditation in process

Engineering Class of 2004

Engineering Program Philosophy

• Emphasis on fundamentals across engineering disciplines

• Learner centered pedagogy• Integration of liberal arts• Social responsibility• Sustainability

“application of math and science in service to humanity”

Engineering Curriculum

• Math/physics/chemistry/computer science• Engineering core

– mechanics

– thermochemical processes

– electrical systems

– design

• Technical electives• Liberal arts: Latin honors

Added Features

• Research with faculty• Community-based learning• NASA projects• Study abroad• Internships

Where Do Graduates Go?

• Graduate School (~40%)– Berkeley, MIT, UC Davis, Cornell, Dartmouth

• Industry (~30%)– MITRE, Ford, Fuss&O’Neill, Gilbane, Sikorsky

• Other (~30%)– AmeriCorps, secondary school teaching

– management consulting, finance

– medical school, other graduate school

Involving Engineering Students

• Engineering Design Clinic

• Special studies

• Student internships

• Five-college courses

Engineering Design Clinic

• Year-long capstone course• Real-world projects

– sponsored by industry/gov’t.

– technical liaisons

• Class component– engineering design

– professional practice

– team interaction

Sample Design Clinic Projects

Ford

GE Advanced Materials

Northampton DPW

Entrepreneurial

So what worked?Outreach:

SSEP

Finance:

WFI

Leadership:

SEE

Other Smith Connections

Summer Science & Engineering Program

• Outreach program for high school girls• Two-week modules on science and

engineering topics• Guided by Smith faculty, assisted by Smith

undergraduates• Girls from U.S. and abroad• 1000+ participants to date

Women and Financial Independence

• Program to promote financial literacy for women

• Multi-week course offerings (no-credit)– entrepreneurship

– principles of investing

– financing life

• Resource center• Outreach/student clubs

open to Five College community

Smith Executive Education

• Program to develop women leaders• Courses, seminars, and discussions

– Smith College Consortium

– Smith-Tuck Global Leaders Program

– Specialist to Strategist (Smith/SWE)

– Custom programs

Summary

• Picker Engineering Program– Engineering science degree

– Design Clinic: capstone projects

– Student research, internships

• Smith Connections– outreach: SSEP

– finance: WFI

– leadership: SEE