College of DuPage Hosts Celebration for Engineering Pathways Participants

The engineering department at College of DuPage recently hosted a reception to celebrate and recognize students in the Engineering Pathways program. Now in its fourth year, this innovative option for students provides seamless transfer and guaranteed admission to the prestigious baccalaureate Engineering program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which is among the highest-ranking engineering programs worldwide.

During the reception, approximately 150 prospective, current and former Pathways students and family members were on hand to welcome incoming engineering students, recognize current Pathways students and congratulate students who have completed the program and are headed to UIUC this fall.

Click here to view photos from this event.

According to Engineering Professor Scott Banjavcic, with 27 students eligible for transfer to UIUC, this year's Pathways enrollment was the highest in the program's four-year history.

"We are all very proud of these students," Banjavcic said. "This was a very special class of students who showed incredible dedication and drive. We are sad to see them go but we know they have great things ahead of them."

Engineering Pathways graduate Paul Fina said he is pleased with his experiences in the Engineering program at COD and that through the program, he has learned how to think like an engineer. Planning to transfer to UIUC in the fall and pursue a degree in mechanical engineering, he cites the support and knowledge of the instructors as being particularly helpful in preparing him for his future.

"I honestly don't think that I would be prepared for UIUC if it had not been for the hours I spent in professors' offices going over problems. Not only were my professors helpful, they also made the material interesting."

Nemanja Kuzmanovic will be transferring to UIUC in the fall and described the Engineering Pathways program as amazing. He said that in addition to the program substantially decreasing the cost of his education, the one-on-one contact with the instructors helped him to understand the material and prepare him for the academic rigors of UIUC's engineering program.

"I think it's a great opportunity that a lot more people should know about," he said. "I'm really looking forward to using the knowledge I gained at COD in my higher-lever classes at UIUC."

Visit www.cod.edu for more information about the Engineering Pathways program at COD.