Student Transition Programs

The mission for the Student Transition and Pre-College Programs is threefold:

1. To support and facilitate student success for all undergraduate Penn State students transitioning from commonwealth campuses and outside institutions to the College of Engineering at University Park.
2. To collaborate with Commonwealth Campus leaders who support College of Engineering students as they transition to campuses outside of University Park where they will complete a College of Engineering degree.
3. To broaden participation and build pathways to engineering for P-12 learners through academic excellence to enhance college readiness, foster inclusion, critical engagement, and innovation.

Student Transition Engineering Program at University Park (STEP-UP)

The Student Transition Engineering Program at University Park (STEP-UP) is a student-run event that aids engineering students in their transition from a Commonwealth Campus to University Park. This event is facilitated by the following Penn State chapters of national organizations:

• National Society of Black Engineers
• Society of Women Engineers
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
• Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers

The event coordinators arrange networking opportunities with both students and industry professionals, professional development workshops, and friendly competitions that test students’ engineering skills.

Jump Start

The Jump Start program is a four-week virtual summer program at University Park that focuses on math and physics preparation for engineering students. The program is designed for engineering students who have completed one or more semesters at a Penn State campus and plan to enroll in one of the following courses for the fall semester:

• MATH 141: Calculus with Analytic Geometry II
• PHYSICS 212: General Physics: Electricity and Magnetism
• MATH 250: Ordinary Differential Equations
• MATH 251: Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations

Commonwealth Engineering Scholars Leadership Conference

The Commonwealth Engineering Scholars Leadership Conference is a three-day orientation program held prior to the start of the fall semester. The program is designed for Commonwealth Campus students who are transitioning to the University Park campus in the College of Engineering. The program focuses on giving students the tools they need for a successful transition to the College of Engineering. These tools include team building, mentoring, leadership experience, corporate networking, and professional development.

Commonwealth Engineering Scholars Mentor Program

The goal of the Commonwealth Engineering Scholars Mentor Program is to successfully facilitate the transition for Penn State students who are transitioning to the University Park campus in the College of Engineering. The program aims to provide incoming students with resources and create student and corporate networking opportunities. Program facilitators hope to cultivate a sense of belonging and community for the program’s peer mentors and change of campus students, staff, and faculty.

Engineering Ahead

Engineering Ahead is a family of summer programs at Penn State for underrepresented students in engineering, sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). These programs, which are located at the Penn State Abington, Berks, and University Park campuses, build on years of experience to deliver a comprehensive experience to students focusing on math and science courses that are critical to engineering degrees. These programs go further by getting students working on hands-on projects and experiences to develop an engineering mentality. Students also begin building their professional networks with upperclassmen and faculty members.