Volunteering Builds Engineers and Their Communities

For mechanical engineers, volunteering and becoming more involved in the community in which they live often begins when they are college students. As undergraduates, it’s easy for engineers to find ways to get involved and promote the value and importance of mechanical engineering.

As these students go out into the world they learn new ways to share their work and often encourage others along the way. Their energy and passion motivate those around them to learn more and, sometimes, inspire future engineers who will then support the efforts of mechanical engineering and its role in the world’s development and innovation. 

Inspiring the next generation

Student volunteers often find that they get a real-life education on how to meet new people and work with others in the ME community. For example, those who help out with programs such as ComEd and ASME’s DropMEin! often learn that assisting with STEM programs also helps grow their careers. They discover that serving a community of future possible engineers allows them to work alongside those who are already working in the field.

ComEd is part of Exelon Corporation. It recently partnered with ASME in welcoming over 100 elementary school students to its Chicago Training Center. For four years the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) initiative has brought engineers and other STEM professionals into elementary and middle school classrooms to make the curriculum better, inspire, and grow the future STEM workforce in Illinois.

Student participants got to take part in monthly-classroom visits with engineers who focused on problem-solving and sustainability. They also got a chance to learn the impact STEM and engineering have on the world. In the most recent DropMEin! program, engineers provided real-life, hands-on learning labs. 

Love for the community

Jax Stookey is the president of the Utah State University’s (USU) ASME student section and acts as a ASME national student ambassador/liaison. He sees his volunteer efforts and projects as a way to contribute to his local community. “My motivation to give back comes from my love for the community,” Stookey explained. “ASME and its members have created a truly unique space that allows me to help the community. When I give my time to a project, I know there will be a real impact for the town.” 

One of the larger events that Stookey helped out with was the Pumpkin Toss or Soapbox when thousands of people from the community came to watch the competitions. But it doesn’t always take a large event to be impactful, Stookey explained. For example, science nights at USU can have an influence on the community.

“I find it very rewarding when I can see the impacts of my volunteer work and tangibly feel how I have helped,” Stookey said. He added that he has made many friends through ASME and relationships that will last the rest of his life.” Whether its helping plan an event or hosting a science night, the work the section does to succeed is what binds them, he explained.

Stookey’s volunteer experience included planning large events and making sure that they “run smoothly.” His team also work hard to make sure everyone attending has a good time. In the role of launch coordinator last year, he took the initiative and came up with a system that allowed the team to reach a new record and launch the most pumpkins ever in a pumpkin toss, for example.

More to come

Working as a national ambassador for ASME has provided Stookey with a lot of opportunities to volunteer. For example, at a recent ASME student leader weekend he presented how USU’s ASME chapter works and how it is able to host large student engagement.

“As an ambassador, I help outreach to other student sections to offer my support or advice when they need it,” Stookey said. Part of his role is responding to posts on the ASME Discord server, for example. “And I hope to do more as the role of ambassador continues to grow,” he said.

Discover the Benefits of ASME Membership

In addition to his event work, Stookey helps out with general sessions throughout the year. “We host many career-focused meetings, like resume workshops, LinkedIn nights, and networking practice,” he explained. “These events are so beneficial to the student body because they give them a chance to practice those soft skills that are often neglected in curriculum.” Overall, ASME has been “an extraordinary experience for me to grow and succeed,” Stookey said.

Jim Romeo is a technology writer in Chesapeake, Va.