Spring 2021
Sharing the Bell Program Model through Cross-Country Partnerships
By Tony Venditto, EIT
Bell Program Facilitator
Justin Starr, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Mechatronics at the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC), near Pittsburgh, PA reached out to us about ways to further partner with the Bell Program. The Engineering Science and Mechatronics AS programs have been strong partners of the Bell Program since Fall ‘19 when I first visited Justin’s EGR 100 Engineering Seminar class. Justin and a number of CCAC students came to Virginia, MN for a Bell Experience recruiting event in January of 2020. Justin recently said, “I’ve been keeping tabs on the students who came to Minnesota, and the transformation has been amazing! Their class participation and problem-solving approaches are much better than their peers.” His goal was to provide the students with the same resources we had given the students who attended the Bell experience, while also giving them experience in systems engineering and exposure to solving open-ended problems.
That brings us back to the EGR 100 – a student’s first exposure to engineering at CCAC. I worked with Justin and Ron Ulseth, PE, Ph.D. to develop condensed versions of key Bell program activities that would be suitable for first-year college students. The result was an “IRE Edition” of the course: CCAC students enroll, and Ron, Justin and myself have formed a “3-Legged”co-teaching approach to this introductory class. The course outline follows the Bell programs model very closely. professionalism topics are based on the “Being an Engineer” values that are explained and displayed to Bell students. We are splitting the course among the Technical, Design, and Professional aspects of engineering, so students are exposed to all three legs of the stool which is used as a model of a well-balanced, professional engineer.
The students are learning to see engineering in terms of systems and components by investigating the water and waste-water systems in their own homes. Justin is a subject-matter expert on water systems, Ron is providing the Creative, Open-Ended Problem Solving (CIOPS) curriculum and course material, and I am delivering professional and career development materials to the students, which also includes aspects of job search, personal branding, and reflection techniques. Ron had made this comment after a recent session, “It really flows well as this being a 3-way partnership.”
Students are getting more technical and technical experience in this course than they would in a more traditional Intro class. These are first semester students who are getting exposed to solving open-ended problems and to seeing the field of engineering as one of both hard skills and soft skills.
The working title of this course in my mind was, “What I Wish I Would Have Known About Engineering In My First Year of School.” That is what we are delivering!
The students are learning to see engineering in terms of systems and components by investigating the water and waste-water systems in their own homes. Justin is a subject-matter expert on water systems, Ron is providing the Creative, Open-Ended Problem Solving (CIOPS) curriculum and course material, and I am delivering professional and career development materials to the students, which also includes aspects of job search, personal branding, and reflection techniques. Ron had made this comment after a recent session, “It really flows well as this being a 3-way partnership.”
Students are getting more technical and technical experience in this course than they would in a more traditional Intro class. These are first semester students who are getting exposed to solving open-ended problems and to seeing the field of engineering as one of both hard skills and soft skills.
The working title of this course in my mind was, “What I Wish I Would Have Known About Engineering In My First Year of School.” That is what we are delivering!
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It’s about time… for a Bell Experience!The time has come for a long-awaited Bell Experience! For those that don’t know, a Bell Experience is a 2-day event hosted in Minnesota where students come and dive headfirst into seeing what it’s like to be a part of the Bell Program. There are different types of activities and workshops that will help students develop professionally as well as obtain mentors to help them along in their engineering education.
Let’s hear what students have to say about the Bell Experience! |
Ashlie Polanco says “I signed up for the Bell Experience, where I was exposed to their engineering educational model and I loved it. I honestly was feeling a little disappointed at that time about the school, I needed a job, but I also needed to study! After knowing about the Bell Program, I realized that it was the opportunity I needed to achieve my goal.”
Meghan Grisham states “Where do I start? Well, the attention to detail and planning involved in this experience is just incredible. I've never met a more welcoming group of people who are genuinely interested in us as individuals AND as a group. The fact that the time was taken to break the ice and get all of us talking to each other is such an important factor that really made this experience so much more valuable, all while instilling strong ideas of project management, teamwork, and professional development. Thank you for this opportunity of a lifetime!”
Jake Revino says “The organization of the experience was phenomenal. One rarely finds a deal that seems too good to be true that turns out to be true. Bell is one of those rare one-of-a-kind opportunities. Thank you!”
Interested in coming to one of our upcoming Bell Experiences? Visit with one of our facilitators to find out how!
Meghan Grisham states “Where do I start? Well, the attention to detail and planning involved in this experience is just incredible. I've never met a more welcoming group of people who are genuinely interested in us as individuals AND as a group. The fact that the time was taken to break the ice and get all of us talking to each other is such an important factor that really made this experience so much more valuable, all while instilling strong ideas of project management, teamwork, and professional development. Thank you for this opportunity of a lifetime!”
Jake Revino says “The organization of the experience was phenomenal. One rarely finds a deal that seems too good to be true that turns out to be true. Bell is one of those rare one-of-a-kind opportunities. Thank you!”
Interested in coming to one of our upcoming Bell Experiences? Visit with one of our facilitators to find out how!
Where are they now?
As more students choose Bell as their path to finish their engineering degree, we have been able to map where they are coming from and where they are accepting internship and co-op positions around the world. Our program currently has 59 students, with the first graduating class coming up already in December 2021. These students have joined us from many different locations across the country, such as Colorado, Virginia, Oklahoma, Texas, and others, as you can see on the map.
As of now, we are looking forward to accepting 47 more students in the upcoming year to start their experience at Bell.
As of now, we are looking forward to accepting 47 more students in the upcoming year to start their experience at Bell.
We have had students accept positions through their own outreach and by attending our semiannual career fairs. Students have the opportunity to find positions near home, around the country, or even across the ocean! The map below shows where our students have accepted these jobs to gain real-life engineering experience.
Wherever our students choose to go on internships or co-ops, we are here supporting them through their whole experience!
Check out this video from Jordan Ledbetter about his experience obtaining a co-op overseas !
Wherever our students choose to go on internships or co-ops, we are here supporting them through their whole experience!
Check out this video from Jordan Ledbetter about his experience obtaining a co-op overseas !
The Bell Academy is now Student Choice!
As time goes on, we hear more and more people talking about the silver linings of the pandemic and how our reactions to it can make for a better world post-pandemic. The Bell program is excited to announce the emergence of an online option for the Bell Academy. Students will be able to choose whether to be part of a fully on-ground cohort or a fully online cohort.
The Bell Academy is the first 4.5 months of the Bell program. During this essential phase, students develop the career search, technical, design, and professional skills that will be necessary to acquire future co-ops and then absolutely thrive in their performance as engineers on the co-ops.
When the Bell program started up in 2019, we assumed it was essential that the academy experience was on-ground, in-person. By fall 2020, we realized that the pandemic was going to force us to consider an on-line option. So we did... and the results are in. Students can have an engaged and highly valuable Bell Academy while being at home in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas, or, of course, any other location. Our online student engineers are thriving in their Bell Academy development. We now see that providing a student the options to choose will give them to pick the model that best fits their desires and constraints.
Thus, we are excited to offer students this choice well into the future!
The Bell Academy is the first 4.5 months of the Bell program. During this essential phase, students develop the career search, technical, design, and professional skills that will be necessary to acquire future co-ops and then absolutely thrive in their performance as engineers on the co-ops.
When the Bell program started up in 2019, we assumed it was essential that the academy experience was on-ground, in-person. By fall 2020, we realized that the pandemic was going to force us to consider an on-line option. So we did... and the results are in. Students can have an engaged and highly valuable Bell Academy while being at home in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas, or, of course, any other location. Our online student engineers are thriving in their Bell Academy development. We now see that providing a student the options to choose will give them to pick the model that best fits their desires and constraints.
Thus, we are excited to offer students this choice well into the future!
The Bell team is growing!
The Bell community continues to grow! Enrollment numbers continue to rise with the addition of new cohorts of student engineers from around the country. With this increase in numbers comes additional support and expertise to help with the continuous improvement of the program. The Bell program is looking to hire two more PhD professors and three additional engineers from industry as facilitators in the program to support the professional, design, and technical development of Bell student engineers.
Do you have any interest or know of someone who may be interested in joining our team? Feel free to visit our website, view job postings, or reach out to one of us to learn more about future opportunities!
Do you have any interest or know of someone who may be interested in joining our team? Feel free to visit our website, view job postings, or reach out to one of us to learn more about future opportunities!
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Student Highlight: Ryan FentonWhere are you from?
I was born and raised in California. I just recently moved to Colorado in June and have been loving it so far. I have always loved the outdoors and the mountains, so it’s perfect for me! What kind of engineer do you want to be? I would like to be an Aerospace Engineer. Why did you choose to come to Bell? I chose to come to the Bell program because it values hands-on, real-world experience and not just problems out of a textbook. Too often, you hear stories about not using half the things you learn in college. With Bell, however, co-ops are a top priority. I’ve always been more of a hands-on learner, so getting to work with professional engineers on actual projects is an amazing opportunity. In my opinion, more schools should be structured like the Bell program. |
What are you enjoying the most about Bell Academy?
The Bell academy teaches you what it takes to be an engineer as well as how to retain the information and apply it in industry. The amount of one-on-one attention you get from the facilitators is absolutely amazing and unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Cody, my learning coach in the program, has been there for me every step of the way, starting from the application process to get into MSU to refining my resume in order to land my dream job. We have weekly conversations, and all the facilitators are just a phone call/email away.
Any other comments?
I have always been fascinated by looking up at the night sky and imagining what’s out there. The opportunities that space can provide for us are endless. I also enjoy working on technical projects and solving problems. There’s a certain satisfaction that comes after fixing or building something. It’s a feeling money can’t buy. I’m the kind of person that wants to solve the problem everyone else has given up on; I enjoy the challenge. When I see projects about growing food in space or sending rovers to Mars, it instills a sense of wonder and longing to be a part of such a tremendous feat. I desire to leave the ordinary behind and focus my attention on solving the complex challenges that space exploration offers. There’s still so much we don’t know, and I would love to work with a team seeking to advance our future in space.
The Bell academy teaches you what it takes to be an engineer as well as how to retain the information and apply it in industry. The amount of one-on-one attention you get from the facilitators is absolutely amazing and unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Cody, my learning coach in the program, has been there for me every step of the way, starting from the application process to get into MSU to refining my resume in order to land my dream job. We have weekly conversations, and all the facilitators are just a phone call/email away.
Any other comments?
I have always been fascinated by looking up at the night sky and imagining what’s out there. The opportunities that space can provide for us are endless. I also enjoy working on technical projects and solving problems. There’s a certain satisfaction that comes after fixing or building something. It’s a feeling money can’t buy. I’m the kind of person that wants to solve the problem everyone else has given up on; I enjoy the challenge. When I see projects about growing food in space or sending rovers to Mars, it instills a sense of wonder and longing to be a part of such a tremendous feat. I desire to leave the ordinary behind and focus my attention on solving the complex challenges that space exploration offers. There’s still so much we don’t know, and I would love to work with a team seeking to advance our future in space.
Faculty Highlight: Dr. Emilie Siverling
Where are you from?
I grew up on a dairy farm outside of Bloomer, WI.
What is your education path?
I received a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2009, an M.S.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction - Science Education from Purdue University in 2018, and a Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Purdue University in 2019. Academically, I am immensely proud of both of my alma maters, but in terms of cheering for athletic and other competitive events, my heart will always belong to Wisconsin. Go Badgers!
What work experience do you have?
I have had several work opportunities in engineering and education spaces. During my undergraduate studies, I assisted with research about piezoelectric materials in the UW Thin Film Oxide laboratory, and I also was a co-op engineer in the Department of Biomaterials at Biomet, Inc. for eight months. After receiving a Bachelor’s degree, I was a high school chemistry and physics teacher at Todd County High School on the Rosebud Reservation from 2009-2013. During my graduate student years, I had several opportunities to work with K-12 teachers in MN and IN who wanted to learn more about engineering and design-based STEM integration; I was also was an Instructor in Purdue’s First Year Engineering Program.
I grew up on a dairy farm outside of Bloomer, WI.
What is your education path?
I received a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2009, an M.S.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction - Science Education from Purdue University in 2018, and a Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Purdue University in 2019. Academically, I am immensely proud of both of my alma maters, but in terms of cheering for athletic and other competitive events, my heart will always belong to Wisconsin. Go Badgers!
What work experience do you have?
I have had several work opportunities in engineering and education spaces. During my undergraduate studies, I assisted with research about piezoelectric materials in the UW Thin Film Oxide laboratory, and I also was a co-op engineer in the Department of Biomaterials at Biomet, Inc. for eight months. After receiving a Bachelor’s degree, I was a high school chemistry and physics teacher at Todd County High School on the Rosebud Reservation from 2009-2013. During my graduate student years, I had several opportunities to work with K-12 teachers in MN and IN who wanted to learn more about engineering and design-based STEM integration; I was also was an Instructor in Purdue’s First Year Engineering Program.
Why did you choose Bell?
I am thrilled to be part of a program that has a culture of continuous improvement, not just for students but also for faculty and the program as a whole. I am also excited by Bell’s focus on knowledge and skills in technical, design, and professionalism. Bell also provides me with an opportunity to work with students who bring a variety of diverse backgrounds and perspectives to the program and to the engineering profession.
What is your opinion on the quality of Bell students?
I am always impressed with Bell students’ curiosity and eagerness to learn more. In particular, I am impressed by their desire and ability to make connections – among technical, design, and professionalism ideas; between the Bell curriculum and their work as co-op engineers and on industry projects; and between the engineering profession and larger contemporary issues. Bell students are self-directed, lifelong learners who want to make the world a better place.
I am thrilled to be part of a program that has a culture of continuous improvement, not just for students but also for faculty and the program as a whole. I am also excited by Bell’s focus on knowledge and skills in technical, design, and professionalism. Bell also provides me with an opportunity to work with students who bring a variety of diverse backgrounds and perspectives to the program and to the engineering profession.
What is your opinion on the quality of Bell students?
I am always impressed with Bell students’ curiosity and eagerness to learn more. In particular, I am impressed by their desire and ability to make connections – among technical, design, and professionalism ideas; between the Bell curriculum and their work as co-op engineers and on industry projects; and between the engineering profession and larger contemporary issues. Bell students are self-directed, lifelong learners who want to make the world a better place.
