Visitors swarm to campus

There is a lot of activity on campus this week, including some very special events:

1. High school and community college teachers are here learning to integrate engineering principles into their curricula through Project Lead the Way. Professor Tim Brower organized this effort, which brought 19 instructors to campus. Our own faculty members are augmented with four master teachers from New York. Project Lead the Way is a national initiative and OIT is the lead university pursuing this endeavor in Oregon.
2. New students are here for registration, orientation and advising – commonly known as our ROAD program. I spoke on a panel this morning addressing parental interests.
3. The Graduation Really Achieves Dreams program is also ongoing, with sophomore and junior students from Chiloquin High School spending time here for special classes and hands-on experiences.

The Teen Women in Science and Technology (TWIST) program finished last week, and I am delighted with the presence of all these wonderful young people on our campus. They are so bright and promising; it is an honor for OIT to be part of their career exploration. Some of our own students were involved as mentors. I am very pleased to have them so engaged with the Pre-College programs.

Tonight is the Baldwin Hotel Museum Centennial Dinner. I’ve been asked to keynote the event. It will be fun and an evening to remember. I’m planning to wear my grandmother’s wedding dress for this historic occasion. Air conditioning didn’t exist in 1906, so we are in for a warm evening.

The midges are in full swarm, and I’ve heard a rumor that a midge festival is being planned for next summer. What do you think?