The inaugural class of engineering students at Illinois State University are feeling good about their programs so far — and not just about the classes themselves.
College of Engineering students were greeted at Williams Hall last month for the first day of classes by special guests, including university president Aondover Tarhule.
“They made a really good impression,” said freshman mechanical engineering major Samantha Machado. “They all had really good speeches. I just know if I have any doubts with anything, I can reach out to anyone and I’ll be given a lot of support.”
Machado, originally from the northern Chicago suburb of Mundelein, said her interest in mechanical engineering came from her mother.
“My mom has a disease that affects her vision, and the medical field is always evolving,” Machado said. “I didn’t want to do something with the medical field. I wanted to focus more on the medical side of [engineering]. I want to build or design any medical device for the visually impaired, and that’s what I hope to do after I graduate.”
There are about 170 students enrolled in the college, even before a dedicated facility on GE Road in Bloomington has officially opened. Students can choose among three majors: electrical, mechanical and general engineering.
Freshman electrical engineering major Kami Schall said faculty and staff in the college have made it easy to settle in.
“We have a big support system behind us,” Schall said. “Everyone has made sure we have all the resources that we need in order to succeed. ... We are the guinea pigs, but they seem to have it very prepared and if we do come up with a problem, they’ll be happy to fix it."
Machado agreed, saying student success director Branden Delk has been a standout supporter of those new to the college.
“The whole school, especially him, gives us a lot of opportunities,” Machado said. “He always emails us. He also gave us free tickets to the football game.”
Delk said he is impressed with the college’s performance so far in spite of not having a dedicated building yet.
“Our inaugural engineering students have officially begun their journey on ISU’s main campus, building community socially, academically and professionally,” Delk said. “While our new engineering building will open next fall as an extension of the main campus, the connections our students are already making with each other, the campus community and industry partners show that the College of Engineering’s spirit is alive and thriving. And this is only the beginning.”
Schall said connecting with her peers has also made the experience very positive, adding, “That’s very important, especially in engineering if we’re doing group work and everything.”
Schall, originally from Mackinaw, said she was drawn to the electrical engineering program at ISU because it was near home and she had prior interest in the subject.
“It’s always been a dream to work with aerospace engineers,” Schall said. “I’ve always felt a passion with that. I wouldn’t exactly be an aerospace engineer, but I could work alongside them.”
Machado and Schall spoke highly of the lab EGR 120: Engineering Explorations. Both students said the lab uses both electrical and mechanical engineering principles and incorporates 3D printing for students to practice their design skills.
“I’m learning and the teacher does a good job trying to explain things to us. I’m looking forward to learning how to build and design,” Machado said.
Freshman electrical engineering major Owen Moore said he was first drawn to the program due to his general interest in electronics.
“It’s more than I thought it would be to, be honest. It’s very open, and a lot of the professors are very helpful,” Moore said.
Moore, originally from the Chicago suburb Norridge, knew he wanted to go to ISU after his first visit to the campus.
“I wasn’t sure about my major, and then I saw what an engineer did through my work at my summer job. I saw that and then I realized that I want to do that,” said Moore, adding he hopes to work on job sites in the future to assist with electrical tasks.
“Both my brothers are electricians, so I’d want to be doing electric work for any job sites like bigger buildings, or it could be smaller, but I think that’s what sounds the best to me right now. I want to do hands-on things,” he said.
Moore said he would tell any incoming freshman interested in the engineering program to brace themselves.
“Do it, but get ready to put the time in,” Moore said. “If you think you can do it, you’ve got to go all in on it. You can’t just think [you can go] 50% — you’ve got to go 100% and you’ve got to be trying completely the whole time.”
Engineering students are currently attending classes for their programs in Williams Hall and Schroeder Hall.
The college is projected to have a "forever home" at 1709 GE Road in Bloomington at the start of the 2026-2027 school year.
Moore said the distance of the future College of Engineering building from campus is a concern and might not be ideal for some students.
“A lot of people don’t have cars here. It’s kind of far away from the school, so you [might] feel like you’re kind of out of the loop,” Moore said.
The 28-acre property, purchased by the university from Country Financial, will cost $59 million to buy and renovate (phase 1 construction). The final product is projected to accommodate more than 1,000 students.
