Overview
Innovation and creativity in all places should primarily be driven by the educators. Union College, according to all statistics and personal experiences, is a wonderfully balanced educational institution. With leading undergraduate engineering program embedded in a liberal arts college setting, Union should be the prime leader in innovation. This is the one thing that Union engineering students always unanimously agree upon. If there is any communication across disciplines it should be happening on this almost unique campus.
Union College admits, educates, and inspires nearly 50 engineering students annually, while the general campus population totals in approximately 2,200 undergraduate students scattered across disciplines. With small class sizes, and 96% of faculty that holds PhD degrees, Union College fosters an educational environment that supports and deeply cares about each individual.
With the ease of access to every discipline available at Union, students can easily branch out of their area of study. This, seemingly common liberal arts college trait proves to be highly significant in educating future engineers, and Union graduates are frequently praised for their distinguished communication skills, excellent team work, and leadership abilities. One of Union's main goals is to educate well-rounded individuals who are likely to succeed in any area they choose after graduation. Union College fosters and encourages creativity and innovation, leadership and academic research. The campus is a wonderful environment that has simply not worded its efforts as "Innovation and Entrepreneurship".
Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Union College is a hub of social events. At this point, every department holds weekly speaker series, there is at least one speaker or discussion event going on each day, and every student can easily obtain a minor leadership position. With vibrant Greek life, and vibrant social life through campus activities, Union sometimes feels overwhelmingly educational even outside of the classroom. With a lot of campus events being student-run, Union students tend to acquire excellent advertising, planning, and event facilitating skills during their four years at the U. A large number of these students join MBA programs, medical school, or law school, and it is highly common for Union engineers to continue their education in business rather than engineering, simply because their interdisciplinary engineering experience allows them to become leaders in the business areas of engineering.
For those students interested in technological advancement, Union is the place to be. With only undergradute students on campus, the professors are committed to providing research opportunities and seeking interested students. Although different for students in liberal arts, engineering students frequently take on faculty research projects as early as their freshman year, committing to practica or summer research.
Students interested in entrepreneurship always find their niche. Ranging from academic majors in economics and menagerial economics that allow vast exploration of the curriculum, through the combined 5-year MBA program with Union Graduate College, this liberal arts college provides a good amount of opportunities for broad education that easily leads to business and entrepreneurship.
Faculty Innovation and entrepreneurship
Professor Hal Fried, of Economics department, and Professor Ron Bucinell, in Mechanical Engineering, are joining their efforts and cooperating with the Alumni Committee on Entrepreneurship, striving to advance Union's current position on entrepreneurship. They are jointly teaching a class on entrepreneurship, offered next trimester.
Professor Fried, in particular, has organized some wonderful international opportunities, such as the Minerva Fellowship (recent graduates' year-long placement in a developing community). One such opportunity is available at a small manufacturing business in India. Professor Harold Fried has also initiated entrepreneurship exchange program to Cambodia. His efforts on campus are a true inspiration.
Professor Bucinell in Mechanical Engineering department is one of the most passionate innovators. He consistently emphasizes importance on entrepreneurship and innovation in all of his engineering classes. He is one of the best industry-connected faculty members on campus.
Many engineering professors at Union are working on cutting-edge technologies and inspiring research projects. Professor Palmyra Catravas is working on caracterization of music instruments and related signal processing. Professor William Keat has a wide range of projects, the most fascinating of which is the development of a prey simulator through studying the biology of a dronfly. Professor Ashok Ramasubramanian works on mechanics of heart development. For a small college like Union, the variety in these projects, and their accessibility to undegraduates is of uttermost importance.