University of Virginia Library

Engineering School Uses Students
To Recruit Potential Applicants

By PAT GRANEY

To present a more
"realistic" view of an
engineering education, students
are being used for the first time
in the Engineering School
recruiting program. Engineering
Council Chairman William L.
Stobbart announced yesterday.

Geared to increase contact
with prospective applicants,
the program allows engineering
students to return to their
former high schools to discuss
programs with former teachers
and friends.

Student Enthusiam

If the students generate
enough enthusiasm, they will
then arrange meetings between
interested people and
Engineering School
Representatives who will travel
to the schools and present an
over-view of the Engineering
field and its potential.

Mr. Stobbart, third-year
student and ex-officio member
of the Virginia Engineering
foundation, which researched
the feasibility of using student
recruiters, emphasized the need
for a "more realistic approach
to what an engineering
education can do for you."

"Personal contact with
candidates should provide an
opportunity to present a fair
account of the Engineering
program," he said.

Problems stemming from
lack of recruitment
organization in the high
schools caused a break-down in
the over-all effectiveness in
the secondary school program,
Mr. Stobbart indicated.

"In the past, representatives
from the Engineering school
could only gain access to
various secondary schools
through formal invitation," Mr.
Stobbart explained. "This
invitation usually permitted
representatives to visit only on
specific 'Career Days' when
other organizations were also
contacting students."

System Ineffective

"We felt this system was
over-crowded and ineffective,"
he continued, "It does not
impress the broad scope which
an engineering education
offers. The goal of this
program is to show that
engineering is not just a
'one-way street' because of the
technical background it
offers."

Contact Through Students

The program involves 35
high schools so far throughout
Virginia. Mr. Stobbart said
most initial contact with
schools will be made through
student visits during the
Thanksgiving and Christmas
vacations, "Hopefully we will
receive at least 10 to 15
invitations from this initial
contact," he commented.

Faculty-student teams will
represent the Engineering
school after meetings have
been arranged. Although the
representatives have not been
chosen, Mr. Stobbart estimated
that five students and five
faculty members would be
selected in the near future.