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Northern Illinois University

NIU Office of Public Affairs


News Release

Contact: Joe King, Office of Public Affairs
(815) 753-4299

April 28, 2005

Verizon gift helps NIU introduce
young students to careers in engineering

DeKALB , IL -- Northern Illinois University and the Verizon Foundation are teaming up to introduce students in DeKalb and Sycamore to careers in engineering and technology.

Thanks to a $50,000 gift from the Verizon Foundation, the Department of Technology in the NIU College of Engineering and Engineering Technology is developing a series of four classes to expose high school and junior high students to basic engineering principles through a series of hands-on activities.

While open to all students, the program will particularly seek to attract minority and women students who are traditionally under-represented in fields related to engineering and technology. NIU's Department of Technology is particularly well suited to that task as it has a long history of attracting minorities to its programs. Currently, the department's enrollment of about 375 students includes 12 percent women and 41 percent drawn from traditionally under-represented groups such as African Americans, Asians and Hispanics.

"We believe in investing in our communities through strategic partnerships with organizations that support education, literacy, and technology education" said Verizon Vice President-Public Affairs, Policy and Communication, Philip J. Wood, Jr. "Verizon's grant to NIU underscores our long-standing goal of improving the communities we serve through improved technology education we are pleased to help NIU in this effort."

“There is a general lack of awareness among children about these types of careers and we want to open their eyes to science and technology. Thanks to Verizon we hope to start reversing that trend,” said Cliff Mirman, chair of NIU's Department of Technology. “This program will allow us to talk to students about those careers, while engaging them with hands-on projects that make it fun.”

The program will include modules devoted to four areas:

  • Electronics – students will build simple circuits to control lights or other devices.
  • Computer Numeric Control Machining – using equipment in NIU labs, students will design and produce a paperweight.
  • Structural Design – students will learn the basics of structural design, then build a bridge or truss, which will be tested for weight bearing capacity.
  • Plastics – using equipment in NIU labs, students will design and produce an object using computers and molding equipment.

Schools participating in the program include DeKalb High School , Huntley Middle School and Clinton Rosette Middle School (both in DeKalb) and Sycamore High School and Sycamore Middle School . Also participating will be Belvidere Central Middle School , Belvidere South Middle School , Rochelle Township High School and Rochelle Elementary School .

Each participating school will receive a computer that can be used by students to access the program's website, where they will find links to information on careers and other topics related to science, technology and engineering.

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