Outreach & Engagement

Student success is a key priority for the College of Engineering & Computing. We provide opportunities and services that enhance our students’ academic experiences and increase their rate of success at school and in their future careers. We offer several outreach and engagement activities geared toward recruiting women and minorities to engineering and computer science degrees.

K-12 Outreach and
Engagement Programs
 

The Center for Diversity and Student Success in Engineering and Computing (CD-SSEC), which is under the umbrella of the School of Universal Computing, Construction, and Engineering Education (SUCCEED), offers and hosts a variety of programs for K-12 students that expose them to the world of STEM, making them excited about the possibility of pursing an engineering or computing science degree at FIU. Among its many activities, CD-SSEC works with SUCCEED faculty on broadening participation initiatives, teacher training in K-12, high school dual enrollment, and FIU student success. To the right is a select list of these activities. For more information about the center or its K-12/pre-college programs please visit the center’s website, or contact via email, cd-ssec@fiu.edu, or phone, (305)348-6929.  

She Builds

She Builds Summer Camp, sponsored by the FIU Moss Construction Management Department, welcomes high-school-aged young women from South Florida to the field of construction management. Students engage in hands-on activities such as an augmented/virtual reality driving simulation used to prep a construction worker for driving on job sites. (View FIU News story)

Code + Art

Code/Art is a nonprofit organization in Miami that uses art as an onramp to coding and is for girls in 4 through 12 grades. Code/Art hires several of FIU computer science students as part time Coding Facilitators and Lead Instructors to teach 10 code sessions to 300 students simultaneously at Young Women’s Preparatory Academy, an all-girls 6-12th grade school.

Big Sisters/Little Sisters Mentorship Program

FIU faculty and students are paired with a “little sister” from middle or high schools in Miami-Dade County. The FIU’s “big sisters” mentor their little sisters for 3 months, on a weekly basis, following a specific CODE.org curriculum learning schedule, meeting virtually via Google Hangouts for creating web-based apps for digital art scenes. 

Engineering Expo

Held for nearly two decades, the Engineering Expo is the college’s premiere community outreach event. On average, the college welcomes more than 1,500 K-12 students from Miami-Dade and Broward County schools to FIU’s Engineering Center, engaging them with FIU student organizations and researchers to discover the endless possibilities of pursuing a degree in engineering or computing science. In 2020, 33 labs and 16 student organizations represented each major within the college, and provided K-12 students with tours, demonstrations, and hands-on activities. The event is free of cost to the visiting schools. (View photo recap)

Engineers on Wheels

The Engineers on Wheels (EOW) program is an initiative that brings FIU engineering students to South Florida K-12 schools. EOW provides students with hands-on activities and engineering experiments in their classes while exposing them to career opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The program features grade-appropriate, interactive lessons and presentations led by FIU students and overseen by FIU faculty. (View photo album)

Visualization, Informatics, Technology, Automation and Learning (VITAL) Summer Camp

During two weeks in the summer, participants use coding and virtual reality to partake in different STEM activities. This camp is for high school students going into 11th or 12th grade.

Engaging Latino Communities in Education (ENLACE)

Supported by The Children’s Trust, ENLACE offers a six-week summer program at FIU’s Engineering Center and after school programs at Coral Park Elementary, Charles R. Hadley Elementary, Sweetwater Elementary, EWF Stirrup Elementary and Kendale Elementary schools. The camp program welcomes 5th to 8th graders and offers engineering-based courses, such as robotics and coding, in addition to courses about social skills and emotional intelligence. The program also provides nutrition and physical fitness education through Fit Kids, Inc. (View photo album) (Read FIU News Story)

Other Outreach and
Engagement Programs
 

We partner with several businesses and corporations, such as Chevron, FCA, Lockheed Martin, Motorola Solutions, to enrich student experience at the college and help them graduate on time, such as through scholarships, student organization travel and competition support.

Corporate Grants

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Most recently, Motorola Solutions Corporate Foundation awarded a grant to the college to support the Women’s Initiative – Women of CEC program. This program will include a collaboration with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to strengthen the pipeline for STEM-interested female students ages 5-17 as well as community building within CEC ages 17-above; corporate-sponsored workshops and panel discussions; mentorship training for students, faculty, and staff; student organization support; and research opportunities for female students—all of which promote the recruitment, retention, and graduation of more female students in STEM.

Networking Events

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Women’s Panel: The annual panel hosted by the college in collaboration with several student organizations and other units at the university, brings several FCA female executives to the campus to have a discussion with students about their leadership and career paths. This networking event is typically held in Fall (September/October).

WICSCON: An annual conference held by Women in Computer Science (WICS) student chapter that brings together a diverse group of talented female technologists to talk about technology, inspiration and innovation.

For a full list of planned college events please visit CEC calendar.