Reaching Out to the Next Generation of Engineers – Today’s Engineering Students

There are many ways state and local chapters can make an impact on students including:

  • Inviting students to local chapter meetings for networking and introduction to working engineers
  • Providing presentations on ethics, licensure, and professionalism through the university, existing NSPE student chapter, or other engineering society chapters.
  • Helping the university conduct an Order of the Engineer Ceremony
  • Providing scholarships to students
  • Enlisting students to help in MATHCOUNTS
  • Providing support for an existing NSPE student chapter
  • Developing a new NSPE student chapter.

Developing a Student Chapter

Developing a student chapter probably requires the most time, effort, and financial commitment of any of all. If you decide that that is the way your state or chapter wants to work with students, here is an outline you might find useful.

Cooperation on many levels is necessary for the development of a successful student chapter. You need to have support from:

  • The University
  • Administration – You will need approval from the university to setup a chapter on campus. Work with the dean of engineering, department headand person responsible for overseeing student organizations on campus.
  • Faculty Sponsor – You need to have a member of the faculty who will act as the faculty adviser. If this person is an NSPE member you are in a better position.
  • Students – You need at least 10 students to setup a chapter. You do not necessarily need to have them lined up before the kickoff event, but having student support before the event will help the effort.
  • Your state society
  • Your state president, as well as education chair and/or membership chair if your state has those officers should all be aware of your efforts and support them.
  • Your state society executive director.
  • Your local chapter
  • The president of the local NSPE chapter is an excellent contact. Some larger chapters may also have education and/or membership chairs. Working with the local chapter will provide you with networking, educational, and service opportunities close to your school.
  • NSPE
  • NSPE staff can provide a toolkit that includes: templates for flyers, emails, and a letter for alumni to contact the deans of their alma maters, forms for chartering a student chapter, copies of Get Licensed Get Ahead and Engineer Your Way to Success, and other materials. Contact
  • NSPE can provide membership applications for you.
  • Alumni from your university
  • Developing relationships with Alumni from your university who are members of NSPE can be valuable in the effort to network and raise funds.

How to Get a Student Chapter Charter

To charter a student chapter, you need a three person sponsorship board that includes: faculty sponsor, sponsor from the local chapter, a sponsor from the state society. The petition for a charterand other information on how to establish a student chapter can be found at: