Group Description

Categories: Academic and Educational, Environmental/Sustainability, Service

The mission of Engineers Without Borders - University of Minnesota is to partner with disadvantaged communities around the world, and to improve their quality of life through implementation of engineered projects that prove environmentally and economically sustainable. Our goals are achieved through cooperation with each other, fellow institutions, and mentors on the basis of commitment, persistence and concern for the recipients of our efforts. We strive to uphold and advance our principles for international responsibility and look forward to applying the experience in our future engineering careers.

Group's principal activities, events, or programs:

PROJECTS: Our concerted efforts have resulted in the successful completion of international water, sanitation, and alternative energy projects in Guatemala, Ghana, and Uganda. Our organization has eight current projects:

-Haiti Plastic Recycling
-Haiti Indoor Sanitation
-Haiti Biogas Digester
-Haitian Hut (local project)
-Uganda Water Supply
-Uganda Sanitation
-Guatemala Water Supply
-Low-income Energy Efficiency (local initiative)
-Geo-Wiki information network developement for non-profit projects

COMMITTEES: Students are involved not only in projects, but also in our fundraising and outreach committees where students strengthen leadership, business, and communication skills.

EVENTS: Throughout the year, EWB-UMN organizes campus-wide and community outreach, development, and speaker events.

How this group's activities benefit the University community:

The experiences EWB provides University of Minnesota students are unique, promoting education through environmentally sustainable projects, cross-cultural interactions, and mentoring from professionals that will provide essential tools for future careers.

Benefits to the University of Minnesota:

• Educating globally responsible, experienced leaders to emerge from the University of Minnesota.
• Providing an unmatched depth of non-classroom experience to top students, which increases appeal to employers.
• Increasing global outreach, marketing, and name-recognition for the U of M.
• Contributing to the existence of student groups that play a strong role in attracting successful students to the U of M.

How this group fits into its categories:

ACADEMIC AND EDUCATIONAL: Students gain real-world experiences converting classroom learning into project-based education. Students become globally and culturally aware employees and leaders, working hand in hand with accomplished students and experienced professionals.

ENVIRONMENTAL/SUSTAINABILITY: EWB-UMN partners with communities for at least five years to develop solutions that are environmentally and economically sustainable.

SERVICE: EWB-UMN provides students the opportunity to volunteer at home and abroad to learn about cultures and development work. These projects significantly improve the quality of life resources for people in the in-need communities where we work.

How to get involved with this group:

Chapter outreach events and meetings are held monthly; project and committee meetings for each group are held weekly. To get involved, just drop into a meeting; meeting times and locations are posted on our website weekly at www.tc.umn.edu/~ewb/. Volunteer to take on tasks as you feel comfortable to do so in the meetings. Contact John Frieseke (frie0369@umn.edu) or Emily Hoskins (hoski025@umn.edu) , EWB-UMN Outreach Officers, for more information on how to get involved.