Engineering student organizations on display during a student involvement fair at the joint college. (Mark Wallheiser/FAMU-FSU College of Engineering)
As a new school year approaches, it can be hard to figure out what you want from your college career.
Academics are important but so is getting experience outside the classroom and finding like-minded peers. Engineering students can find it especially difficult to keep a good balance between classwork and their interests.
However, it is possible to excel in all these things at once. It’s been proven that students who go above and beyond in college tend to encounter more opportunities than the average student, and one way to achieve that is through Recognized Student Orgs (RSOs). Lucky for our STEM majors, the engineering college has a variety of organizations to help you out.
What are RSOs?
As recognized student organizations, these groups are officially recognized by the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. That means that they can meet on campus, hold official events and collaborate with the college on scholastic opportunities. They are made by students for students. These RSOs can range anywhere from aligning with a specific identity, profession or social cause.
Why should you join?
There are a lot of professional, social and academic benefits to joining an RSO. First and foremost, getting involved in a role or event accumulates great experience for your resume. Showing interest outside of the classroom presents dedication and real-world applications to employers.
Certain RSO opportunities can also help you discover more academic pathways and research groups. Some of our RSOs are very accomplished and help grant their students with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for international competitions, awards and grants.
Finally, meeting other students who share your same interests and values can help build a support network. Teamwork is a great skill to have both in college and beyond, so fostering connections with others is a sure way to start your personal success.
How can you get involved?
Take a look at the list of RSOs on our website and see what interests you! You can reach out to organizations with listed contact information to learn more, or you can attend an in-person event hosted by the organization. The beginning of each semester is also a great time to find student involvement fairs where RSOs will set up tables to provide information and recruit new members.
Who you should know:
Student organization representatives have provided the following selected highlights. For a complete list of all active RSOs, visit this webpage.
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
This organization aims to uplift and positively impact the Black engineering community. It represents the FAMU-FSU chapter of the larger national NSBE chapter. Each year, students attend NSBE’s national and regional conferences, where they network with Fortune 500 companies, secure internships and showcase their research and technical skills in competitions. Our chapter has celebrated members receiving national recognition awards and scholarships that directly supported their educational journeys.
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
This RSO prioritizes creating an inclusive and welcoming environment to empower women engineers both academically and professionally. It creates a supportive environment for women to excel in male-dominated fields. For their members, they’ve conducted business panels, interactive events and attend an annual SWE conference. Additionally, their members have participated in female-led research groups, worked with the Florida Department of Transportation, interned at Seagate Technology and much more.
Theta Tau Chapter
Theta Tau is the joint college’s co-ed engineering fraternity, and a chapter of the nation’s oldest co-ed STEM fraternity. It is an opportunity to surround yourself with fellow passionate engineers, and to celebrate the two universities that the joint college represents. Theta Tau values service, professionalism and brotherhood. In the past, they’ve conducted campus cleanups, donation drives and philanthropy 5ks. Additionally, they host bonding events for brothers and professional development opportunities like resume builders and annual Theta Tau conferences.
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
SHPE is the top RSO for leading Hispanics in STEM through awareness, access, support and development. They take responsibility for building collective strength and passion by developing communities, building an all-encompassing membership, and challenging others to be their best. They attend national conventions and highlight their members' professional internships.
Generational Relief in Prosthetics (GRiP)
GRiP is committed to enhancing the quality of life for both humans and animals alike through cutting-edge software programs to design and 3D print prosthetics and assistive devices. In Spring 2024, GRiP collaborated with the non-profit organization Hands To Love at their annual Hand Camp. This unique event brings together children with upper limb differences, offering a camp experience where they can connect and thrive.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) is a non-profit organization that promotes the development and application of electrotechnology and allied sciences for the benefit of humanity, the advancement of the profession, and the well-being of its members. They provide electrical and computer engineering students a way to obtain experience in the field, engage with a community that shares similar interests and participate in professional networking opportunities.
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
ASCE provides scholarships and internship listing to its members, as well as opportunities to give back to the community through STEM. Recently, they have held a bridge design competition for children in the beg bend region of Florida. Additional competitions for students include Sustainable Solutions, Timber-Strong Design Build and Concrete Canoe.
American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
This organization provides professional enrichment and social support to all undergraduate students in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering. They also offer free, student lead tutoring services in several academic areas. They participate in various S.T.E.M. outreach events with a local elementary school and have hosted professional development events such as our “Career Fair Help Session” and undergraduate research panels encouraging university research involvement.
Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)
BMES is the professional society for students, faculty, researchers and industry professionals in biomedical engineering. This organization values member professional development through webinars, chapter programs and meetings. BMES sits at the center of the biomedical engineering ecosystem, connecting academia/research, industry, government, clinicians and biomedical engineering philanthropy.