New Student BBQ helps engineers find community // Mizzou Engineering

August 26, 2019

Dean Loboa poses with a group of students holding signs representing NSBE.

Dean Loboa visited with a multitude of student groups, including the National Society of Black Engineers, at last week’s New Student BBQ. The barbecue gave new students the opportunity to get to know the College better and build lasting connections. Photos by Liz Lannin.

Peace Park was filled with the smell of hamburgers and the chatter of excited freshmen as they got to know their new family at the College of Engineering.

The New Student BBQ on Thursday evening was, according to Dean Elizabeth Loboa, the largest she had ever seen. She hoped the barbecue gave new students the opportunity to get to know the College more and build lasting connections.

“Engineering is a very hard discipline of study. You might feel that you can’t make it. You question yourself and your capability,” Loboa said. “So what they should get from this event is a network of friends and peers to talk to when things get hard, to celebrate the successes and to make sure they have a community, because that’s what we have here.”

Dean Loboa speaks with three young men at a table with engineering implements on it.

Members of Mizzou Engineering’s more than 50 student organizations helped new students find their passions beyond the classroom at the New Student BBQ.

That community was represented by more than 50 student organizations, such as the Society of Women Engineers and Mizzou Engineering Student Council, which were present to help new students find their passions beyond the classroom.

Freshman Aly Edwards is excited to see how her courses apply to a future job and to find her place within the College.

“I’m excited about the Society of Women Engineers (SWE),” she said. “I’m looking forward to getting to know other ladies.”

At the barbecue, students were able to network with other new Mizzou Engineers and get in touch with upperclassmen to hear about their experiences and involvement.

Keegan Scanlon, a junior transfer student studying chemical engineering, is eager to participate in student groups such as the Mizzou Space Program so he can dive into his interests outside his major.

“I chose Mizzou because of the campus life, the clubs, the organizations, the opportunities,” Scanlon said. “Really, being a part of an organization is my way to first dip my toes into Mizzou Engineering.”

The New Student BBQ was a great success showcasing the supportive and tight-knit group this new class of engineers has joined.

“They have a full community to help them through, and when they finish, the world is their oyster,” Loboa said. “An engineering degree opens so many doors.”