7/26/2010
With the start of the fall semester less than a month away, a select group of incoming engineering freshmen have already figured out college life through a program called Illinois Connections in Engineering (ICE).
Written by
With the start of the fall semester less than a month away, a select group of incoming engineering freshmen have already figured out college life through a program called Illinois Connections in Engineering (ICE).
The five-week-long program introduces the students to a typical college academic workload through a structured schedule of engineering-related courses balanced between time in a classroom and group and individual study sessions.
“After going through ICE, my first semester seemed like something normal; I was already setting my studying schedules and study groups by the first day,” said Gilberto Chaidez Jr., a 2009 ICE participant and 2010 ICE resident counselor. “An average freshman would most likely be a bit nervous just finding the lecture hall and being on time. On the other hand, I was already figuring out how I could manage my time to be able to attend office hours and prepare for that first round of midterms.”
More than just giving incoming students a taste of what’s to come, ICE offers a unique chance to build lasting friendships and learn leadership skills – both necessary to having successful college and professional careers. Students had the chance to tour the Caterpillar plant and participate in a workshop with BP.
Maybe the most useful part of ICE, though, is giving the students the experience of finals week, without all the same pressure as during the normal school year. ICE students take four three-hour final exams over the course of two days, demonstrating how demanding college can be at times and giving students confidence in their abilities.
“The best part of ICE was when I began to feel comfortable with myself and came to the realization that I had a lot of potential at this university,” said William Smith, a 2009 ICE participant and 2010 resident counselor. “I slowly realized that, while the engineering program was going to be tough, I was capable of accomplishing it as long as I worked hard. I learned a lot about myself and what I was capable of during those weeks.”
“The best advice I could give to anyone entering the program is to never doubt yourself because the only one that can hold you back is yourself,” Smith added. “As long as you focus on what you want to accomplish, you will be just fine.”
__________________
Contact: Ivan Favila, assistant dean and director of the Morrill Engineering Program, 217/244-3815.
Writer: Alex Iniguez, Engineering Communications Office.
If you have any questions about the College of Engineering, or other story ideas, contact Rick Kubetz, Engineering Communications Office, 217/244-7716, editor.