OU Engineering Expands Access to Future Engineers Through Growing Summer Program

January 26, 2026

OU Engineering Expands Access to Future Engineers Through Growing Summer Program

Students and teacher at Engineer Days Summer Camp.

Isaac Schweigert and Matthew Gonzales, both current OU Engineering students, participating in Engineering Days in Summer 2021

The demand for engineers continues to grow across Oklahoma and the nation. OU Engineering is responding by investing early in future talent through Engineering Days, a summer program that helps students see engineering as accessible, practical, and impactful.

This past June, the Gallogly College of Engineering welcomed more than 200 high school juniors and seniors to campus. Students participated in one-day, hands-on experiences across four weekends. Since launching in 2015, Engineering Days has grown each year, drawing strong interest from students, families, and partners. As the program looks ahead to 2026, it is on track for the biggest year in the history of the program with 13 different program day options for students across the month of June.

Engineering remains a high need profession in Oklahoma. Workforce projections show that OU Engineering must graduate more than 900 engineers each year over the next five years to meet demand.

“Programs like Engineering Days give students early exposure to real-world problems and connect them with faculty who are actively developing solutions that benefit Oklahoma,” said Dr. Randa Shehab, Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the Gallogly College Engineering.

Each Engineering Day focuses on a different engineering or technology discipline offered at the University of Oklahoma, in the Gallogly College of Engineering or Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy. Students explore fields such as aerospace, civil, electrical, mechanical, chemical, and computer science through guided projects and labs with OU faculty. Current OU engineering students serve as leaders and share what college and engineering careers really look like. With the addition of the Polytechnic Institute into the Gallogly College of Engineering, the program is adapting and expanding to include these high-tech career fields for students.

“These experiences go beyond academics,” said Dalton Brasington, Director of Outreach and Recruitment. “Engineering Days helps students see engineering, science, or technology degrees as leading to a creative career that solves real problems affecting us all and helps them understand that they belong in these spaces.”

One of those student leaders understands Engineering Days from both perspectives.

Students working on a project at Engineering Days Summer Program.

Isaac Schweigert, now a biomedical engineering junior at OU, first attended Engineering Days as a high school participant. At the time, he had participated in pre-engineering programming and classes at his high school but was unsure which direction he wanted to explore next.

“Before Engineering Days, I had an understanding of engineering but didn’t know what area I wanted to go into,” he said. “I was interested in engaging with faculty to learn more about what different engineering disciplines offered to me. Being on campus, working on real projects, and talking with OU students and faculty showed me that engineering was a real option for my future.”

That experience helped him identify which engineering pathway he was the most interested in, leading him to OU and biomedical engineering. This summer, he returned to Engineering Days as a student leader, working directly with high school participants.

“Coming back was important to me,” he 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.”

The 2025 program reflected a broad reach. Sixty percent of participants came from communities across Oklahoma. Students also traveled from Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Colorado, Iowa, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Twenty-two percent of participants identified as first generation college students, highlighting the program’s role in expanding access to engineering education.

Many students arrive without prior exposure to engineering courses or mentors. Engineering Days provides a clear entry point, builds confidence, and helps students understand the many ways engineering can fit into their future.

Engineering Days demonstrates how early engagement creates lasting impact. Students explore engineering, build connections, and often return as enrolled students and leaders who support the next generation.

To learn more about Engineering Days or OU Engineering outreach efforts, visit ou.edu/engineering.

Isaac Schweigert assisting an Engineering Days 2025 camper during the Mechanical Engineering session