Old Guard Committee

 

Purpose

The Old Guard, under the direction of The Old Guard Committee, will develop innovative programs for helping improve the skills of early career engineers as active and productive members of ASME. The Old Guard will assist the early career members of ASME to bridge the gap between college and professional life and bring them closer to the activities of the ASME.

Responsibility

To achieve the objectives of the Old Guard by overseeing those programs promulgated by the Old Guard Committee and to develop and recommend innovative programs for retaining young engineers as active and productive members of ASME.

Functions

The Old Guard Committee will raise funds to support The Old Guard activities; review and initiate enhancements to The Old Guard programs; and work with appropriate volunteer members and staff on proposed enhancements and procedures regarding students and early career engineers.

Contact: oldguard@asme.org

 

What do Old Guard Member Donations Support?

Through annual financial contributions and volunteer time and efforts, the Old Guard conducts the following programs for the benefit of engineering students and early career engineers, and ultimately for the good of the engineering profession:

Download the Old Guard Brochure.

ACTIVITY/AWARD DESCRIPTION OLD GUARD SUPPORT
The Old Guard Prize: Oral Presentation Competition

An engineer, like all professionals, must possess a well-developed ability to communicate, both orally and in writing.  This competition is designed to emphasize the value of an ability to deliver oral presentations. 

 The Old Guard pays for membership upgrades for first place winners at each of the District Student Professional Development Conferences (SPDCs) and subsidizes their transportation to and lodging at ASME's annual IMECE, where a final competition is held. The Old Guard also provides cash prizes for winners at both District and final competitions.
The Old Guard Video Presentation Competition Like the traditional Oral Presentation Competition, this video competition is designed to emphasize the value of an ability to deliver effective oral presentations. The Video Presentation Competition is open to students in Districts outside North America (Districts G, H, I and J ONLY), and may be run in lieu of, or in addition to the traditional Old Guard Competitions at SPDCs. The Old Guard awards a cash prize to one winner in each participating ASME District outside North America.
The Old Guard Technical Webpage Poster Competition Conducted by the host University/Section at each ASME Student Professional Development Conference (SPDC), this webpage design competition is intended to encourage the delivery of visual presentations using Web Page technology. The Old Guard provides prize funds and pays for the membership upgrades of all first place winners at the SPDCs.
The Old Guard Technical Poster Competition Conducted by the host University/Section at each ASME Student Professional Development Conferences (SPDCs), this poster design competition is designed to encourage engineering student achievement in delivering visual presentations. The Old Guard provides prize funds and pays for the membership upgrades of all first place winners at the SPDCs.
The Old Guard Early Career Engineers Award This award is presented in recognition of outstanding early career engineers who actively involve themselves in their profession, their communities, and the work of the Society. The Old Guard contributed $120,000 to fund this award. The Old Guard provides prize money plus a prepaid lifetime membership. Two runner-up winners receive prepaid life memberships.
Early Career Technical Conference Grant The Early Career Technical Conferences (ECTC) are conducted so that early career practicing engineers, graduate students, and early career academics have a forum to present their technical work and, in the process, develop their skills in written and verbal presentations. The Old Guard and the Committee on Early Career Development (CECD) joined forces to provide both planning expertise and financial support to assist selected ASME Districts with Early Career Technical Conference production.
Early Career Forum Grant The Early Career Forums (ECF) are conducted to aid graduating students and recent graduate mechanical engineers in making the transition and ramp-up from university to professional life.

The Old Guard and the Committee on Early Career Development (CECD) joined forces to provide both planning expertise and financial start-up grants to assist selected ASME units with Early Career Forum production.

The Charles T. Main Student Section Award Established in honor of the 37th President of ASME, this award recognizes Student Members whose leadership and service qualities have contributed, for a period of more than one year, to the program and operation of a Student Section of the Society. The Old Guard provides winners with round trip transportation to and lodging at ASME's annual IMECE.
The Arthur L. Williston Medal Mr. Williston, ASME Member established this medal in 1954, which is presented for the best paper submitted in the annual competition on a subject chosen to challenge the engineering abilities of engineering students in conformance with the annual contest guidelines.  The Old Guard provides winners with round trip transportation to and lodging at ASME's annual IMECE.
The Student Section Advisor Award This award is presented to an ASME corporate member (Fellow, Member or Associate Member) who is a current or former outstanding Student Section Advisor whose leadership and service qualities have contributed, for a period of at least three years, to the program and operations of a Student Section of the Society. The Old Guard contributed $25,000 to establish this yearly award.