Division of Business and Engineering

Student Activities

The Division of Business & Engineering has a number of student organizations and activities to add to the classroom experience. Students can manage projects, help the community, lead a team, hone their communication skills and network. If you're interested in exploring these opportunities further, please get in touch with the contact person listed.

Society of Business Students (SOBS)

The Society of Business Students (SOBS) is an organization which encourages and promotes interaction between Penn State Altoona Business students, faculty, and the business environment. We hold networking events and host guest speakers throughout the year. In addition, the SOBS is actively involved in many activities throughout the community including work at the Veterans Home and participation in I-99 cleanup activities. We encourage any business students or even those simply interested in business to join our program.
Contacts: Dr. William Englebret or Ms. Deborah Hommer, Faculty Advisors

National Honor Society for Engineering Technology, Tau Alpha Pi

Penn State Altoona has a student section of Tau Alpha Pi. Tau Alpha Pi is the national honor society for engineering technology students and is open to both associate-degree and baccalaureate candidates who have demonstrated academic excellence. The society was founded in 1953 and managed for more than 30 years by engineering technology educator Frederick J. Berger. Tau Alpha Pi is now managed by American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE). Membership in Tau Alpha Pi is offered to qualified students each semester. Members receive an honorary certificate of induction, a Tau Alpha Pi pin and an embossed medallion for attachment to the member's diploma. A one time membership fee of $35 is required. The purpose of Tau Alpha Pi is to recognize high standards of scholarship among students in engineering technology programs. The Penn State Altoona College Student Chapter also sponsors guest speakers and student events throughout the semester. Tau Alpha Pi members are also encouraged to act a peer tutors. The Frederick J. Berger Scholarship is awarded each fall to a student member of one of the Penn State's Tau Alpha Pi Student Chapters.
Contact: Mr. Eric Granlund, Tau Alpha Pi Faculty Advisor

Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

Women in engineering/technology—you are a dominate force. You are simply underrepresented in the field. The Society of Women in Engineering (SWE) is dedicated to the promotion of Women in Engineering/Technology by advocating the importance of diversity and by uniting resources to encourage academic, leadership, professional, and personal excellence for the entire Engineering community of Today and Tomorrow. At Penn State Altoona, SWE also insists that you have fun in the process. This female-centered student group focuses on issues related to your success through mentoring, study groups, and networking (for internships and jobs). For those of you who will finish your education at UP, there is opportunity to get to know women engineers at UP thus making the transition that much easier. The group has a tradition of service and involvement with the local community. SWE also cosponsors events such as industry tours with other engineering groups. And it creates the ever popular tee shirt series including Top 10 Reasons to Date an Engineer, and Top 10 Reasons to be an Engineer. For more information visit www.swe.org (nation headquarters).

Mini Baja

Each year, students design and build a single-seat, off-road vehicle to compete in the Society of Automotive Engineers Mini Baja Midwest competition. The culmination of the year-long project is a series of events in the spring, in either Wisconsin or Ohio, in which cars from over 100 international engineering schools are judged on appearance, ergonomics, structural integrity, maneuverability, hauling strength and durability (in a four-hour endurance race!). Students learn how to market their ideas and designs, work on teams and manage projects as well as apply technical skills. The team involves students from many disciplines, including business, art, English, engineering and engineering technology to design and build a safe, attractive, cost-effective, high-performing vehicle. Contact: Dr. Andrew Vavreck, Mini Baja Faculty Advisor

Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE)

SIFE is a global non-profit organization active in more than 40 countries. SIFE is funded by financial contributions from corporations, entrepreneurs, foundations, government agencies and individuals. Working in partnership with business and higher education, SIFE establishes student teams on university campuses. These teams are led by faculty advisors and they are challenged to develop community outreach projects that reach SIFE's five educational topics:

Market Economics
Success Skills
Entrepreneurship
Financial Literacy
Business Ethics

SIFE team members leverage their personal educational experiences, the expertise of their faculty advisors, the support of their local business advisory boards, and the resources of their institutions to implement programs that create real economic opportunities for members of their communities. The effectiveness of their programs is judged at competition. Each national SIFE organization conducts a national competition, which is judged by leaders from its business community. At competition, SIFE teams present the results of their educational outreach projects and compete to determine which team was most successful at creating economic opportunity for others. SIFE National Champion teams advance to the top level of competition, the SIFE World Cup. (www.sife.org)

In 2005-2006, Penn State Altoona's SIFE team completed five projects, one in each area of the educational topics listed above. Our SIFE team competed at the Tarrytown, NY Regional Competition, where we were awarded "Rookie of the Year" and "Regional Champion." As Regional Champ, we qualified to compete at Nationals in Kansas City, MO, where we were again awarded "Rookie of the Year" at the national level.

Given that Penn State Altoona's SIFE charter was established in January 2006, judges at both the Regional and National competitions noted, "This is going to be a team to be reckoned with!" We're looking forward to an amazing year of making a difference in our community through SIFE!

Contact: Ms. Donna Bon (DJB36) or Ms. Cynthia A. Wood (CAF116)

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

Penn State Altoona has a student section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). ASME is a 120,000-member international professional organization focused on technical, educational and research issues of the engineering and technology community. ASME conducts one of the world's largest technical publishing operations, holds numerous technical conferences worldwide, and offers hundreds of professional development courses each year. ASME sets internationally recognized industrial and manufacturing codes and standards that enhance public safety. The Penn State Altoona ASME Student Section conducts industry tours, engages in design competitions, holds networking events and hosts guest speakers. The student section also holds joint activities with the Central Pennsylvania Section (the local senior section). Contact: Mr. Eric Granlund, ASME Faculty Advisor