UA College of Engineering to Host Open House

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The University of Alabama College of Engineering will host Engineering Day, an open house for junior high, high school and community college students and their families, on Thursday, Oct. 4, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

E-Day, as the open house is known, will give prospective students a closer look at the College of Engineering, according to Wendy Jones, coordinator of student recruitment for the College. Participants will receive a realistic view of how engineering skills are used in everyday life. All interested students, counselors, teachers and parents are invited to attend.

Laboratory tours and exhibits will be offered in such areas as aerospace engineering and mechanics, chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, and metallurgical and materials engineering. Engineering students and faculty will be available to answer questions throughout the day.

Information will also be provided on college preparation, housing, financial aid, admissions, Air Force ROTC, and several engineering societies. "This is an excellent opportunity to gain both an introduction to the exciting fields of engineering and computer science, and to get an idea of what life at The University of Alabama would be like," said Jones.

E-Day registration will take place in front of Hardaway Hall beginning at 8 a.m. Tours of the departments will start at 9 a.m. and last until 12:30 p.m., followed by a complimentary lunch for all guests. For more information on E-Day, call 1-800-369-ENGR or 205/348-2547.

In 1837, The University of Alabama became the first university in the state to offer engineering classes and was one of the first five in the nation to do so. The average starting salary for UA engineering graduates receiving their bachelor of science degrees rose from about $44,000 in 2000 to nearly $48,000 in 2001.