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SMU ASCE Student Chapter Update

SMU Civil Engineering students made a big splash at our April meeting including newly elected student chapter officer’s Jason Lehigh (Chapter President), Alexandra Yauch (Vice President), Emily Portillo (Secretary), and Katherine Lazenby (Secretary).  Fritz Beck (M. ASCE, adjunct SMU Professor) brought all his SMU Introduction to Civil Engineering students to the meeting.  These students enjoyed our main presentation and took part in networking and fellowship with Dallas Branch pros.  As the new Dallas ASCE Student Chapter practitioner-adviser, my first priority was to support and encourage one of the goals stated in their 2013 annual report to ASCE.  Goal #1:  “Provide networking opportunities for ASCE student chapter members”.  SMU Engineering has been around since 1925 and the ASCE Student Chapter has been active for the better part of that time.  Among many other activities, they have regular monthly meetings on technical subjects, participate in the steel bridge competition, participate in EWB, and support a number of community service  projects including most recently helping with the Centennial Habitat House for Humanity.  I will provide a quarterly update on their activities.  

If you see an SMU Civil Engineering student at one of our meetings or activities, please take the time to make them feel welcome and that their presence is appreciated.  They have a hard time within their academic and sanctioned activity schedules to get out here in the “real world” with us.  The next time a student member is sitting at your table, help our profession and foster future growth in our own Branch by being enthusiastic about your career.  Make that encounter with future Civil Engineers count!       

By Dr. Mark K. Boyd, PE, DWRE, ENVSP, M ASCE - Dallas Branch Practitioner-Adviser to the SMU Student Chapter, SMU Adjunct Professor, Principal Engineer, LCA Environmental, Inc.