Honors Engineering Learning Community
February 27, 2015
By Madison Denning, Student Communications Specialist
This year, nearly 180 first-year engineering students joined the Honors College. These students, members of the Honors College, are also enrolled in the Honors Engineering program. As such, they seized the opportunity to take part in the Honors Engineering Learning Community (HELC). The HELC is designed to allow first-year engineering students the opportunity to take advanced engineering courses and apply the skills gained outside of the classroom with their peers.
First-year students in the HELC participate in an accelerated honors class during each of the first two semesters, ENGR 141 in the fall and ENGR 142 in the spring. In these courses, students forge ahead with cutting-edge material at a quick pace. For example, the honors courses integrate computer science into the curriculum; eliminating the need for honors students to take a separate computer science course later. In close-knit teams, honors engineers work together in close-knit teams designing projects each semester.
Engineers in the HELC participate in different activities during the academic year, each designed to foster everyday learning. Freshman and current member Priska Meehan-Numminen says, “being a member of the Honors Engineering Learning Community improves every aspect of the college experience. The program allows students to grow both socially and academically.” Each semester, every student gets to take an “industrial field trip”. Duing these field trips, they have the opportunity to visit a nearby company that employs engineers. Students listen to a company presentation and take tours of the facility. Many times the presentations are given by Purdue alums.
The benefits of the HELC extend beyond advanced coursework. A core aspect of the program is the shared living experience students experience by sharing the same residence hall as all Honors College students. Grace Knudsen, a current member of the Honors Engineering Learning Community, says joining has helped her with the transition into college. By living with people who share the same academic interests and standards as her, Grace was able to make an extremely close group of friends with whom she could both hang out and study.
The HELC eases the transition into college and allows students to expand their academic horizons in preparation for future careers. We encourage them to develop their skills in and out of the classroom.
