Howard Community College

Faculty who lead Howard Community College's engineering program believe that learning in a classroom is a critical component to any student's academic experience. But they are also firm believers that skill building, teamwork, and career exploration should be woven into each student's education through time spent out of the classroom. For this reason, engineering students at HCC are encouraged to get involved with the engineering clubs on campus, based on their interests, as well as career visions and goals. In addition to a general interest Engineering Club, HCC has also established chapters of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). There is only one officially recognized SWE chapter at a community college in the country. HCC's chapter of SWE hopes to receive official recognition; they are submitting an application this spring. HCC's NSBE chapter is only the second recognized group at a community college in Maryland. Students can also opt to get involved with the Amateur Radio Club W3HCC, which is supported by the Columbia Amateur Radio Association. "Each club offers different opportunities, but all three focus on social, professional development, and community outreach programs," said Dr. Cheryl Campo, STEM project manager and adjunct engineering professor, who serves as a faculty advisor for HCC's chapters of SWE and NSBE. "Students who get involved are able to connect with like-minded people. I also see a lot of these students coming together to HCC's Student Engineering Clubs Round Out the Educational Experience HCC Paves the Way to Success for National Society of Black Engineers' President Brianna Lawton Brianna Lawton knows all about sleepless nights, forgotten meals, and those occasional never-ending weeks with four exams to get through. But she also knows that her hard work and perseverance will be worth all of the effort in the long run. An aspiring civil engineer, Lawton is making the most of her college experience by not only getting involved, but also taking the lead. She serves as president of Howard Community College's chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), a club she helped establish on campus to encourage diversity and networking opportunities for STEM students. "Being a STEM major is not easy," said Lawton. "I helped start this local chapter of NSBE to give students more opportunities to grow while they are studying at HCC. NSBE is about developing ourselves professionally, and spreading knowledge, giving back, and being able to inspire the future generation." Lawton has volunteered at local elementary schools to help students with their STEM homework, serve as a science fair judge, and work with students on their science fair projects. Lawton has also served on HCC's Society for Women Engineers' executive board and represented HCC in "Girl Power," an annual collaborative event hosted at John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, where she conducted interactive STEM demos for middle and high school girls. Lawton intends to transfer to the University of Maryland, College Park to complete a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. She feels that because of her experience at HCC, she is well prepared to pursue her goals and find success. "My goals keep me going," said Lawton. "I know I can get there from here." support one another and offer guidance and motivation as their courses become more challenging." Dr. Campo says that her own personal involvement with HCC's engineering groups has benefited her as much as it has her students. "I have been fortunate in my career that people have been willing to take me under their wing," she said. "Now is my chance to do the same. I want our students to understand how important it is to get connected in this field early on, and that they need to be engaged not just in the classroom, but also out of it. The clubs we offer at HCC are helping us accomplish that, and I am proud to be part of it." 8 Howard Community College

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