Engineering jump-start

More than 130 first-year Wright State University students participated in a free pre-college boot camp to prepare them for the academic challenges in college.

This year’s Academic Advantage Program, offered by the College of Engineering and Computer Science, marked the program’s largest cohort in a decade.

“We are trying to give an academic advantage to incoming freshmen,” said Craig Baudendistel, Ph.D., director of engineering mathematics.

The students who attended the camp from Aug.10 to 14 refreshed their math knowledge by using real-world engineering examples, improved their math placement level, acquired skills needed for all college courses and connected with professors and classmates.

“The program is very beneficial,” said Rohey Suso, a first-year materials science and engineering major. “You meet new people and you learn new things.”

Now in its 27th year, the program is open to first-year students in all majors with the goal of easing the transition into the courses students will take in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Students hoping to improve their math placement level had an opportunity to take the ALEKS math placement assessment on the final day of the camp.

“I haven’t taken a math class in two years,” said Sophia Mannier, a biomedical engineering major. “I needed a quick refresh and this is really good for that.”

The Academic Advantage Program is sponsored by AES Ohio Foundation.