National event aims to keep engineering students on track

March 13, 2012

WHAT: Kick-off celebration for STAY WITH IT, a national campaign to encourage engineering students

WHEN: 2:40 p.m. Wednesday, March 14

WHERE: The Reitz Student Union Auditorium on the University of Florida Campus; nationwide locations and live via a Facebook discussion

BACKGROUND: UF will host a program in conjunction with STAY WITH IT, a day of national celebration designed to promote and build enthusiasm for students pursuing engineering degrees. The nationwide event is hosted by President Obama’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness in collaboration with engineering schools and companies Intel, Facebook, MTV and Google.

A portion of the day will be broadcast via a Facebook Live discussion, moderated by Montel Williams, talk show host and Naval Academy-trained engineer. Colleges across the nation will host viewing parties at their campuses.

UF is ranked in the Top 10 U.S. engineering schools determined by size of faculty and student body. However, only 14 percent of all U.S. undergraduate students are enrolled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs, and there is a 40 percent attrition rate of those enrolled in these disciplines after the first year. STAY WITH IT is the first student outreach campaign focused on connecting engineering students with their peers and professionals to encourage and motivate them to graduate with a degree in the field.

PROGRAM: Video welcome from UF College of Engineering Dean Cammy Abernathy
Speeches delivered by UF President Bernie Machen and Provost Joe Glover.
The live national event starts at 3 p.m.

CONTACT: Steve Orlando, director, UF News Bureau, 352-392-0186, sfo@ufl.edu