Illinois Engineering First-Year Experience (IEFX)
IEFX is an interdisciplinary program for every first-year student in Engineering at Illinois that begins with Launch, the college’s official welcome event, and proceeds with courses, events and programs that build community and help students gain a strong sense of engineering identity. Students gain a better understanding of their options within engineering, choose electives based on their interests, develop supportive relationships through peer mentoring, network with established engineers and celebrate their accomplishments.
Student Consultants on Teaching (SCOTs)
The Student Consultants on Teaching (SCOT) program engages students in the College of Engineering in activities that help improve the teaching and learning environment. There are a variety of exciting opportunities to work alongside AE3 staff to provide feedback to individual instructors, instructional grant recipients, and college or department curriculum initiatives. The SCOTs program also fosters closer relationships between faculty and students, and encourages students to reflect upon teaching and learning in a more scientific manner.
SCOTs is always looking for new student volunteers (undergraduate and graduate students in the College of Engineering) who want to help promote quality teaching and positive instructional change.
Quotes from previous SCOTs:
“Being a SCOT has given me the incredible opportunity to learn from a community dedicated to improving engineering education. AE3’s commitment to engaging students in educational change efforts has inspired me to reflect on my role as a student and take ownership of my education.”
– Athena Lin, Materials Science & Engineering undergraduate student“As a new assistant professor, I rely on my prior experience as a SCOT (while in grad school) almost every day as I am planning my classes. The experience has helped me become a more reflective and effective teacher.”
– Andrea Hupman Cadenbach, PhD from Industrial & Enterprise Systems Engineering in 2015“I joined the SCOTs program my freshman year. The program really helped me to feel more comfortable around my professors. Before I shied away them. Now I have no problems approaching them at all!”
– Wami Dosunmu-Ogunbi, Mechanical Science & Engineering undergraduate student
For more information about the SCOTs program, contact Chris Migotsky at migotsky@illinois.edu.