About the IDEAs Program
The University of Akron’s College of Engineering, in recognizing that the American industries will require an ever increasing number of people in the high technology areas and at the same time demanding diversity, initiated the Increasing Diversity in Engineering Academics (IDEAs) Program (formerly known as Minority Engineering Tutor Incentive Program) in January 1990. The IDEAs Program is committed to increasing diversity, enrollment, and retention of all the students particularly the underrepresented groups (African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and Asian Pacifics) in the field of engineering.
IDEAs Program Incentives
The following incentives are available to the IDEAs Program participants:
- Tutorial Study Halls
- Academic Advising by IDEAs Director
- Peer Counseling
- Structured Workshops/Study Groups
- Permanent Study Center
- Progressive Incentives Scholarships
If the students fulfill the contractual requirements, they can earn a scholarship of up to $3000 per academic year. Personal, academic and career counseling is provided periodically upon request.
Scholarships
- IDEAs Program Progressive Scholarship
- ARROYO Scholarship
- BUCKINGHAM SCHOLARSHIP
- HONORS Scholarship
- DEPARTMENTAL Scholarship
About The College of Engineering
The College of Engineering offers baccalaureate degrees in Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Mechanical and Mechanical Polymer Engineering is also offered through the Chemical and Mechanical Engineering undergraduate programs.
Masters degrees are offered in Chemical, Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering with specializations in Biomedical Engineering, Polymer Engineering and Engineering Management.
The Doctoral program in the College of Engineering offers interdisciplinary programs in Environmental Engineering, Mechanics, Systems Engineering, Material Science, Transport Process, Biomedical Engineering and Polymer Engineering, as well as joint programs with the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Youngstown State University and Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine.
All faculty members in the College of Engineering are active in their professional organizations and conduct research with state, federal and industrial sponsors.
Departments and Programs
Student Organizations
There are many student organizations in which students may become involved. Through participation in student organizations, students gain leadership skills, enhance their teamwork abilities, have opportunities to win awards and can enjoy social outings with fellow engineering classmates.
- AIAA (Aeronautical Engineers)
- AIChE (Chemical Engineers)
- ASCE (Civil Engineers)
- ASME (Mechanical Engineers)
- BSME (Biomedical Engineers)
- IEEE (Electrical Engineers)
- ITE (Transportation Engineers)
- NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers)
- SAE (Automotive Engineers)
- SWE (Society of Women in Engineering)
- Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honorary)
IDEAs Program Sponsors
- Air Products
- Alcoa Foundation
- Allied Signal Inc.
- AT&T
- Babcock & Wilcox
- B.F. Goodrich
- Diebold Inc.
- East Ohio Gas
- EDG
- Ford Motor Co.
- Goodyear
- GPD Associates
- Lord Corp.
- LTV Steel
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- Lubrizol Corp.
- Michelin
- MK Ferguson
- NASA Lewis Center
- NSF
- PPG Industries
- Reliance Electric Co.
- Rubbermaid Inc.
- Telxon Corp.
- Timken Co.
- Van Dorn Co.
- Wellman Inc.
- Whirlpool Corp.
- WING’s Inc.
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Cooperative Education
The College of Engineering Cooperative Education Program at The University of Akron began in 1914. It is the fifth oldest cooperative education program (co-op) in the United States. Co-op provides valuable career experience for engineering students. Participating in the co-op program allows students to experience first hand what a career in engineering is all about by alternating work for salary and school each semester after their sophomore year. A recent study found that The University of Akron co-op students earn as much as $11.00 to $24.00 an hour during their co-op work periods, some even more, and almost all of these students help to pay their college costs with these earnings. The advantages of more than an year of relevant work experience are obvious to the student when seeking full-time employment. Students will have gained at least a full year of professional experience by the time of graduation. Approximately 80 percent of the qualified engineering students have elected to enroll in the program. The following is a partial list of the co-op employers:
- NASA
- The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
- Lockheed Martin
- BF Goodrich
- BP Amaco
- Rubbermaid
- Diebold Inc.
- Central Intelligence Agency
- Ohio Department of Transportation
- Aircraft Braking
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- Cleveland Clinic
- Kimberly Clark Corp.
- Parker Hannifin Corporation
- The Hoover Company
- Ashland Chemical
- Moen
- Little Tikes
- City of Akron
- Lubrizol Corp.
- GPD Associates
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Current IDEAs Program Profile
There were 831 undergraduate students in the College of Engineering during the Spring, 2002, semester. Currently the percentage of minority engineering students enrolled at The University of Akron is approximately 12%. About 94% of those minority engineering students are enrolled in IDEAs. The IDEAs student profile is shown below:
| Class |
Number of Students |
| Incoming Students |
29 |
| Freshmen |
23 |
| Sophomores |
22 |
| Juniors |
17 |
| Seniors |
32 |
Contact Information
To obtain further information about the IDEAs program, please contact:
Dr. Paul C. Lam
Associate Dean of Engineering for Undergraduate and Diversity Programs
Director, Cooperative Engineering Education
Auburn Science and Engineering Center 205C
Akron, OH 44325-3901
Office: 330.972.7817
Fax: 330.972.5162
E-mail: plam@uakron.edu
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