The Minority Engineering Program (MEP) is gearing up to celebrate 20 years in the College of Engineering. According to Ivan Favila, program director, MEP is visible evidence of the college’s commitment to establish and maintain an environment where every student is welcome and able to pursue his or her career aspirations. As Favila says, ”Creative solutions arise from people who think differently, and students from varied ethnicities encourage a diverse collection of ideas and solutions.” Collaborative efforts in MEP and throughout the college make the program successful for the students and program sponsors.

Participation is key. MEP students and alumni work as a community of learners, through mentoring programs, group study sessions, retreats, and professional and personal development seminars. They also participate in national student organizations, such as the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists, and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.

MEP students understand the importance of their experiences in engineering at Notre Dame, but they are equally concerned about future generations of engineers. They play a major role in planning and implementing annual pre-college programs for local middle and high school students, such as the “Is Engineering for Me?” program, shown here.