Student professional organizations at Temple are a great way to engage with fellow students and find your place as an engineer. This is particularly true during the start of any semester, when groups map out their on-campus events, service and networking opportunities for the coming year.

Like many organizations, engineering student groups have pivoted in their planning. Two groups, Temple Engineers Without Borders, the Temple chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, are among those groups taking much of their work mostly virtual.

"Our club has always been very small and personal," said Carly Smith, a mechanical engineering student representing Engineers Without Borders. "Our adjustments for the upcoming year take our close-knit club culture into consideration. How do we remain social, productive, and most importantly safe during a global pandemic?"

Made up of mostly mechanical and civil engineering students, Temple EWB improved the club's organization to track meetings and keep in contact with members, while also re-branding the club's social media presence. In a typical year, Temple EWB would be planning for an international service trip, such as their most recent trip to Saccha, Peru (pictured above). However, with international travel suspended by the group's national presence, the Temple chapter is actively pursuing project leads in other countries for when travel resumes. 

"It is always important to give back and as engineers we have an ability to impact less fortunate communities in a massive way," Smith added.

Temple ASCE, which was recently recognized for the #ASCEMadeMe Challenge, also works with a national group, and is geared toward civil engineering students. In the past, ASCE has organized site visits and networking opportunities with professionals in their fields.

"This semester, we will continue to have GBMs virtually, and we are currently working to create other types of virtual events to continue to make service and networking opportunities available to members," said Kate Kubiak, a civil engineering student and the group's social media lead.

ASCE is waiving its yearly fee for students interested in joining, and the group will continue working with local engineering groups such as Philadelphia Younger Members Forum (YMF), on virtual events, as well as pursuing other regional events for ASCE members.

"It is so important to get involved," Kubiak added. "Temple ASCE is a great way to meet other civil engineering students and begin networking."

Learn more about joining Temple ASCE here. To get involved in Temple EWB, email templeuniversity@chapters-ewb-usa.org or visit their Instagram. Click here to see a full list of student organizations at Temple University College of Engineering.