The College of Engineering at Illinois State University is surpassing enrollment goals and showing promise for a statewide market in need of more engineers.
ISU made a $54 million purchase of a Country Financial building on GE Road in Bloomington to renovate the space into the new home of Illinois’ newest engineering school.
“That's providing us the opportunity for expansion space in the future, and it also provided the university the opportunity to save a little money,” said Tom Keyser, dean of the College of Engineering.
That investment eases issues associated with high enrollment. Keyser said the John W. Green Building, the site on Gregory Street formerly seen as the future home for engineering students, would have limited enrollment to only 135 engineering students admitted per year. The inaugural class started the school year with 168 students, and currently that number is at 163. While this year’s freshman class has awaited completion of the GE Road building, which is expected to be finished in time for the start of the next school year, classes have been conducted at Williams Hall.
Meeting demands
Keyser said the College of Engineering helps provide students that are needed to meet the “enormous demand” for engineers statewide and nationwide. It also provides students with an appealing path forward when the economy becomes uncertain.
“If you were to look at the last three recessions, you'll see engineering enrollments skyrocket nationwide,” said Keyser. “So it's ...not necessarily a safe career but a rewarding career and a steady career.”
This year’s freshman class was 96% Illinoisan. Keyser said he has already had conversations with potential future employers that would like to see those students stay in-state to work. He said city engineers for Bloomington and Normal, as well as the Illinois Department of Transportation, are supportive of the school for the chance that those students can satisfy their needs for more workers. Recently, Keyser met with the Town of Normal to come up with projects students can work on that may help the town.
“It'll give them exposure to working for the municipality and provide both with a great opportunity,” said Keyser. “For the students, obviously the experience, perhaps a job down the road, and for the city to try to get that pipeline of more people wanting to work.”
He predicts when this year’s freshmen graduate in 2029, it will help to correct some of the state’s most dire needs.
“There's companies in our very area that are importing engineers from around the world to satisfy that demand. So I think we're going to help,” said Keyser.
Keyser added there are also some students from neighboring states, like Missouri, Indiana and Kentucky, that have been applying for the college.
Work in the classroom
Engineering students have shown a lot of interest in working on real projects, Keyser said. Students have two industrial projects they are already working on—one from Peoria-based OSF HealthCare to help with research, and one from Chicagoland area manufacturer Quality Craft.
“...which gave us one of their products and asked the students to improve it, and not just how to improve it, but actually make working prototypes of what it's going to be,” said Keyser.
Representatives from Quality Craft came to campus Monday to see progress and provide feedback.
The school intentionally hired staff that like to teach hands-on projects, and that are approachable to students.
“The environment, I think from every student I've talked to, it's very comfortable,” said Keyser. “One of the things engineers do is we learn by mistakes. We learn what works and we learn what doesn't work. And part of the hands-on learning and doing that is a key to the education of engineers.”
A look at what is ahead
Engineering students have and will continue to be offered opportunities to see progress on the GE Road location. Keyser anticipates a move-in in late June.
“That'll be exciting. Get our labs all set up, get the faculty situated, prepare for our students,” said Keyser. “Then late in the summer or early in the fall, we should have the grand opening for the building and the college.”
The ISU Physics Department is slated to take over the space the College of Engineering will leave behind in Williams Hall.
