Engineers are needed nationwide and statewide now more than ever, and the University of Oklahoma is opening that door early with Engineering Days, a summer day camp series that introduces high school juniors and seniors to engineering.
For Isaac Schweigert, a biomedical engineering junior at OU, attending Engineering Days in high school helped him solidify which direction he wanted to explore in college.
“Before Engineering Day, I had an understanding of engineering but didn’t know what area I wanted to go into,” Isaac said. “Being on campus, working on real projects, talking with OU students and faculty, and learning more about the different engineering disciplines showed me that a future in engineering was a real option for me.”
Isaac’s experience ultimately led him to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering and inspired him to return to Engineering Days as a student leader.
“Coming back was important,” Isaac said. “I wanted students to see someone who had been in their place and made it through. Engineering Days helped me take that first step, and now I get to support students who are just starting their journey.”
Each Engineering Day focuses on a unique engineering discipline, like aerospace, civil, electrical, mechanical, chemical, and computer science, and is led by OU faculty. Current engineering students also serve as student leaders and mentors, giving high school students the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about OU Engineering.
“These experiences go beyond academics,” Dalton Brasington, the director of outreach and recruitment for Gallogly College, said. “Engineering Days helps students see degrees in STEM as leading to a creative career that solves real problems and helps them understand that they belong in these spaces.”
This upcoming June, Engineering Days is on track to welcome the largest cohort in the program’s 11-year history and will host 13 program options. For reference, over 200 participants attended last summer, and while over 60 percent came from Oklahoma, students also traveled from nine other states.
As proof of the program’s role in expanding access to engineering education, 22 percent of last year’s attendees were also first-generation college students — the first in their families to attend college. Randa Shehab, the senior associate dean of academic affairs and faculty development in Gallogly College, believes that programs like Engineering Days are fundamental in a student's success.
“These programs give students early exposure to real-world problems and connect them with faculty who are actively developing solutions that benefit Oklahoma,” Randa said.
Many students arrive without prior exposure to engineering courses or mentors, but with Engineering Days, each student will leave with a clear entry point, increased confidence, and a better understanding of how engineering can fit into their future.
Registration for Engineering Days opens in April 2026.
To learn more about Engineering Days or OU Engineering outreach efforts, visit the OU Gallogly College of Engineering website.
