Women and Minority Engineering Programs (WMEP)

Goals

• To support the recruitment of students into the College of Engineering and help ensure equal access to all applicants representing the broad demographics of the state of North Carolina
• To increase the retention rates of students from historically underrepresented populations who enroll in the College of Engineering
• To increase the graduation rates of students from historically underrepresented populations in the College of Engineering
• To create a collaborative and welcoming environment for all students, faculty, and staff in our scholarly community
• To support students as they navigate various intersectional identities during their academic career in Engineering at NC State
• To thoughtfully engage alumni and corporate partners in strategic ways that mutually benefit all parties

For Our Prospective and Newly Admitted Students

Are you thinking about the fall and wondering what it may do to your first semester in college?  There is no better way to be sure you have a good, fulfilling experience than to connect with WMEP folks.  Need help making decisions?  Email us at engr-wmeprograms@ncsu.edu.  We will be sure you have everything you need to do what is right for you!

Here are some videos to help you get to know us as you decide whether you want to join our Wolfpack family!  We hope you do!

David speaks about joining the Latinx fraternity

WMEP overview with Rachel

Programs Offered

Programs for Incoming Students

WMEP SEE (Summer Exploration Experience) Camp

Each year, over one hundred newly admitted NC State engineers are invited to participate in this residential summer bridge program where they interact with our current engineering students, our WMEP staff, engineering faculty members, and visit industry sites to get an early start on their membership in our engineering family. During your week on campus with us you will make new friends, take part in creativity provoking engineering activities, engage in cutting-edge research discussions, learn about student organizations and exciting on-campus opportunities, eat (A LOT), and maybe even meet someone who will hire you for your first engineering job! New Student Orientation is also integrated into the week-long experience. Watch your email for an invitation!

Minority Engineering Programs Overnight Recruitment Weekend

The Overnight Stay Recruitment event is geared toward admitted students who are interested in learning more about the NC State campus, opportunities to grow/develop personally and professionally, and best practices for success in pursuit of an engineering degree. The weekend is held in conjunction with the College of Engineering’s Open House. The Overnight Recruitment Weekend allows students to see first-hand what life as an engineering student entails and gain insight into the opportunities available for a successful undergraduate career at NC State University. Prospective students are assigned a student host for the weekend and stay on campus with WMEP staff supervision. Prospective students also attend classes with their student hosts and participate in a formal evening program that includes a catered meal, student panel and entertainment provided by student organizations.

Programs for Current Students

Summer Research Program

The WMEP Summer Research Program (WMSRP) is a 10-week program designed to provide high-impact research experiences for undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Engineering. Participants conduct research under the direction of world-class Engineering faculty with mentorship from WMEP staff. WMSRP aims to increase each student’s research self-efficacy and awareness of prospective research opportunities in both academic and professional settings. 

Participants complete an Introductory Engineering Research Methods course as part of the experience. Students prepare research abstracts and posters detailing their work, which is then presented at the annual Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research at NCSU. 

E 144 and E 145 (First-Year Orientation Courses)

These professional student development courses are designed specifically for first-year students in the College of Engineering. Fall topics for the E144* course include: best practices for academic success in Engineering, time management, professional development opportunities, social adjustment and campus acclimation, research and graduate school, stress management strategies, test management, and a supportive cohort aimed at promoting well-being and belonging for students of all identities. The semester culminates with an inclusive design group project. Spring topics in E 145* include effective communication, resume writing, interviewing skills, engineering ethics and entrepreneurship, internships, co-operative education, progress and morale based leadership styles and critical thinking.

Student Advancement and Retention Teams (START)

START is an early intervention and peer-mentoring program for first-year engineering students. Students are paired with an upper-class engineering student by either major, demographics, or both. START teams meet on a regular basis to help students acclimate socially and academically. START enables first-year engineering students to get off to a great “START” in their College of Engineering journey.

Taste of Engineering

Each year, the Engineering departments come together bringing food and drink that relate to their majors. Students have an opportunity to receive help in choosing a department, discuss jobs versus graduate school, talk about how to pursue undergraduate research, and more . . . all while sampling a wide variety of food offerings!

Graduate Student Dialogs

Graduate students are invited to get together with Engineering faculty members and staff to discuss chat, get support and mentoring, and network.

Tools Workshop

Students have an opportunity to spend an evening gaining confidence with all the kinds of tools that they may use as engineering students and professionals. From soldering to saws, from pipettes to breadboards, from welding to 3D printing, interesting projects are set up and students flow from one station to another to play and learn.

Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)

WISE is a living and learning community created for first- and second-year women engineers, mathematicians, statisticians and scientists. The program combines a group living experience with resident, upper-class mentors who will assist in the transition to university life. Promoting academic success; fostering the formation of lasting relationships with fellow students, professors and mentors; and providing out-of-class experiences are fundamental components of the program.

*Information about E 115, E 144, E 145 and other courses can be obtained at the Registration and Records’ Class Search.

We Need You!

Many of the programs we offer can’t happen without students like you! We are always looking for students to serve in different roles for our programs, i.e., mentors, counselors and panelists. If you are interested in helping out, just let us know!

Participants

Our programs are open to ALL NC State Engineering students (without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or any other factor). Students do not have to apply to become a member of the Women and Minority Engineering Programs (WMEP).* Whether you start your NC State College of Engineering journey as a new first-year or you have transferred to the College of Engineering, you are a part of WMEP.

Students who identify as Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Alaskan, Native American, or Pacific Islander are underrepresented when enrolling and graduating in STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology and Math) fields. We are committed to helping recruit, retain, and graduate Engineering students of all backgrounds and identities, including those from historically underrepresented populations, and ensure the NC State College of Engineering is a welcoming environment with a campus climate that supports student success.