Engineering Ahead Marks 11th Year of Preparing Future Engineers for Success

By Lisa R. Baldi, Penn State Berks

Pictured above: Penn State Berks is helping a future generation of engineering students to succeed through the college’s Engineering Ahead program. Eighteen students participated in this year’s program. Photo courtesy of Samantha Bower

Penn State Berks is helping prepare the next generation of engineers through its Engineering Ahead Program, which celebrated its 11th year this summer. The free, four-week residential bridge program, which ran from July 5 to 31, supports incoming engineering students by strengthening academic skills, introducing them to engineering concepts and helping them to build the confidence and support network needed to succeed in college.

Through hands-on engineering labs, community-based service projects and industry site visits, students gain practical experience while preparing for the transition to college. The program’s primary goal is to improve retention and success among a diverse population of future engineers.

Award recognizes decade of student success

The program’s impact on student success has earned recognition across the University. This year, that impact was acknowledged when Ryan Hassler, Engineering Ahead coordinator and teaching professor of mathematics at Penn State Berks, received the inaugural Penn State Outreach Commonwealth Commitment Preparing Students Award. The award was presented during a ceremony at University Park on Oct. 22.

The Penn State Outreach website states: “Hassler is being recognized for his commitment to student success in the Engineering Ahead program at Penn State Berks, established in 2015. He is hailed for ensuring the program’s long-term sustainability through strategic funding, partnerships, and continuous program evolution.”

To watch a short video of Hassler discussing the Engineering Ahead program, visit the college’s YouTube site.

Meeting a critical need in STEM education

Hassler noted that interest in STEM careers often outpaces students’ expectations of pursuing them professionally. According to the Walton Family Foundation, nearly 75% of Gen Z students express interest in STEM fields, yet only about 29% anticipate pursuing STEM careers.

“The challenge is twofold: We need to inspire more students to pursue STEM while also providing the support they need to persist and succeed,” Hassler said.

This year’s 18-student cohort came from Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Illinois, and Iowa. They plan to study various disciplines, including biomedical, chemical, civil, computer science, electrical, electro-mechanical, mechanical, and software engineering.

Preparing students for the transition to college

Daily schedules included intensive math “boot camps” focused on pre-calculus and problem-solving exercises; workshops on study skills, time management, and career planning; faculty and external speaker presentations; and discussion of the course textbook, “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. The program also covers such subjects as undergraduate research and career exploration.

“Engineering Ahead has quelled many of my concerns about the college transition process – not just academically,” explained Ethan Foote of Wyomissing. “This program has helped me build my social skills and find a support system of both faculty and peers who genuinely care about my success. I’ve been able to evaluate my strengths, weaknesses, and pain points, which will allow me to prepare my routine and optimize my workflows for the fall semester and beyond.”

In addition to Hassler, the core Engineering Ahead Program team includes Kathleen Hauser, associate teaching professor of engineering, and Dawn Pfeifer Reitz, associate teaching professor of communication arts and sciences. In total, more than 50 Penn State Berks faculty, staff, and alumni supported this year’s program by sharing their time and expertise.

Peer mentorship strengthens student experience

The program’s impact is also reflected in the former participants who return to support new students. This year, three Engineering Ahead alumni served as mentors, helping guide the incoming cohort through the transition to college life.

David Ramirez-Garcia, junior mechanical engineering major of Sinking Spring, served as the senior program mentor; while Jason Antony, sophomore mechanical engineering major of Collegeville, and Ellie LaBriola, a sophomore industrial engineering major of Downingtown, served as both mentors and resident assistants.

“Engineering Ahead was a huge part of my freshman success and experience,” stated LaBriola. “It was a privilege to be able to come back as a mentor and support the next generation of students. After the program was over, I heard from many students that they were missing Engineering Ahead but that they felt ready for the semester ahead of them.”

Learning beyond the classroom

Students had an opportunity to attend in-person lab presentations on campus and visited three local industries: Brentwood Industries, a global plastics manufacturer headquartered in Reading; UGI Utilities Learning Center, a training complex for utility employees, contractors, and public safety partners in Leesport; and Teleflex Incorporated, a surgical and medical instrument manufacturing company in Wyomissing. They also visited the Penn State Berks LaunchBox, an innovation hub of the college, in Reading and spent a day at the University Park campus networking with faculty, staff and students from the Penn State College of Engineering.

Community partnerships provide real-world experience

Outside the classroom, students also applied their engineering skills through community partnerships. Working with Youth Volunteer Corps (VOiCEup) of Reading and participants in the Reading Recreation Commission’s Playground Summer Program, the Engineering Ahead students led activities that included solar-powered car races and an engineering design egg-drop challenge for local youth.

Natasha Garcia Rodriguez, of Reading, commented, “I joined the Engineering Ahead Program because I wanted to learn more about engineering and get ready for college. My favorite parts were the hands-on projects and meeting new people. This program helped me improve my math and problem-solving skills, and I feel more prepared.”

Professor Hauser led a hands-on engineering design project in partnership with the nonprofit Schuylkill River Greenways, where students worked together to begin documenting the technical specifications of the 568 Bridge along the Schuylkill River Trail in Birdsboro, and developing a scale model of the structure. The project provided valuable field experience while strengthening students’ teamwork, problem-solving, and engineering design skills. Their work on the project continues into the academic year, and it will help inform future efforts related to necessary repairs and improvements to the bridge.

Support extends beyond the summer

Just as this project extends beyond the summer experience, so does the support provided through Engineering Ahead. Students continue their transition to college together through a first-year seminar in the fall and a STEM persistence seminar in the spring, providing ongoing academic, professional, and peer support throughout their first year.

“Engineering Ahead gave me the chance to get insights into college life and what to expect,” explained Kate Wise, from Reading. “I was allowed to make my mistakes and to learn from them without wasting time during my first year of college.”

Investing in the next generation of engineers

While the summer program has concluded, its impact will continue as students are equipped with new skills, relationships, and confidence.

“Working with the 11th cohort of Penn State Berks Engineering Ahead Scholars has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” summarized Hassler. “Together, these outstanding students have built a collaborative learning community where future engineers and scientists learn from and inspire one another. Their curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and dedication to academic success have been evident throughout the summer as they explored STEM, served the Berks County community, and prepared for the challenges ahead. Watching them collaborate across disciplines while developing into future leaders gives me tremendous confidence that they will make meaningful contributions to their future professions and to the world.”

This year’s Berks Engineering Ahead program received funding from American Crane and Equipment Corporation, Bosch Rexroth, the Harold A. Pfreimer Engineering Outreach and Recruitment Endowment, along with numerous alumni and local philanthropic donations.

About the Penn State Outreach Commonwealth Commitment Preparing Students Award

The awards were created by Penn State Outreach to recognize Penn State faculty and staff whose work exemplifies the University’s land-grant mission through meaningful engagement with communities, innovative discovery and transformative student experiences across Pennsylvania. The inaugural awards recognize three mission-centered categories: inspiring discovery, preparing students, and serving Pennsylvania. Recipients were selected by the Commonwealth Commitment Awards Selection Committee from a competitive pool of nominees spanning multiple campuses and units. The Preparing Students Award celebrates work that prepares students for civic and professional success through experiential learning, mentorship, and applied engagement.