There are countless ways for students to get involved beyond the classroom. Often, these experiences introduce new interdisciplinary interests that shape and fortify your academic and personal journey through CEMS. Below, we share some of the many different ways to engage with your peers, the campus community, and the next generation of engineers and scientists. For more ideas, feel free to reach out to the Office of Student Success!
Clubs and Organizations
Explore new interests, build new friendships, and discover unknown talents, all while boosting your career prep. Our clubs help students explore the power of interdisciplinary collaboration while providing new opportunities to apply their learning in hands-on ways that complement and expand their classroom and lab experiences.
At CEMS, we have over 20 student clubs and organizations covering a wide and diverse range of interests from aeronautics to coding, with new clubs regularly forming to meet emerging areas of engineering and science.
Here are just some of the exciting experiences students have discovered through our clubs and organizations:
- Members of Engineers Without Borders traveled to a remote village in Rwanda to bring clean water to the local school.
- The Society of Women in Computer Science (SWiCS) partnered with the CS Crew to launch the annual UVM Hackathon where teams of students collaborate in a competition to develop solutions to one of a series of challenging prompts.
- This past year, students organized a new Robotics Club to meet the exploding interest in robotics and autonomy technology. Among other activities, the group helps support the local FIRST Robotics program, building skills in STEM and teamwork for local middle and high school students.
- In only their second year competing as a team, students in UVM’s American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) section traveled to the University of Central Florida and secured an impressive 2nd-place podium finish in the overall competition.
CEMS Connect Peer Mentor Program
CEMS Connect Peer Mentors are sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences who provide academic and social support to first-year students throughout the academic year. Peer mentors welcome new students to CEMS by sharing their experience, offering advice, and finding ways to help students connect with campus opportunities and resources. Two Student Directors are selected each year to help coordinate activities and announcements. Student Directors are typically juniors or seniors with prior experience in the program Learn more about our Peer Mentor Internship Program
eSTEM
The eSTEM initiative supports students working to enter and engage with STEM fields. In math, the 'e' is known as Euler's number, which is the base for natural log and plays a crucial role in several concepts, one of which is compound interest or building upon the already existing structure and growing infinitely. Therefore, the 'e' stands for excellence, the ways in which students build upon collective knowledge systems and continue to impact the STEM field as they navigate STEM spaces on campus.
K-12 Outreach
Students, faculty, and staff in the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences have a proud history of supporting STEM education and awareness in our local K-12 schools. Here are some of the many ways our students have shared their time, talents, and passions with the next generation of STEM leaders:
- The STEM Ambassadors are UVM students studying Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math and are trained to deliver experiential STEM activities to Vermont youth, both in person and virtually. With a mission to spark the same wonder and excitement that captivated them, our STEM Ambassadors provide hands-on learning experiences in the classroom, in afterschool programs, and through on-campus events.
- UVM’s Girls Who Code club is part of an international nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing participation of women in computer science through educational programs spanning middle school through college. Our students lead weekly workshops for local school children each Saturday during the semester.
- Each summer, our students serve as camp counselors for a series of week-long Engineering & Design Summer Camps that introduce middle-school-aged students to engineering professions through hands-on learning opportunities, helping them discover and develop their own STEM identity.
Student Engagement FAQ
How do I start a new club?
UVM Student Government Association (SGA) facilitates the process for creating a new Recognized Student Organization (RSO). New organizations are responsible for compiling a roster of 10 interested members, two ClubSigners (a president and treasurer) to lead the organization, and an advisor (a professor, staff member, or graduate student) to support the RSO.
ClubSigners must then complete the New Recognized Student Organization form available through the SGA Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) page. Typically, new RSO applications open the first week of the Spring Semester. With any questions you may have about the form or process, email SGAClubAffairs@uvm.edu.
How do I become a peer mentor?
Information sessions are held each April for students interested in becoming a peer mentor who then receive application details through email. Students going into their sophomore, junior, and senior years are eligible. Peer mentors who have participated in the program for at least one year and are in their junior or senior year are eligible to be a Student Director.
Students who are selected to be a peer mentor will be required to attend the annual Student Leadership Retreat in August and to choose a CEMS Connect Peer Mentor Team, which includes the Seminar Support Team (supporting CEMS 1500 labs), Peer Advising Team (supporting transfer and new student advising), and the Student Comms Team (enhancing and streamlining student-facing communications in the college).
For more information, please contact cems.student.services@uvm.edu
How do I create a website for our club?
If your club is registered with SGA, you will be encouraged to develop and maintain a webpage describing your club's purpose, membership, events, and other relevant details. Club leaders attending the annual Student Leadership Retreat will learn about website design and how to submit web updates.
Once you are ready to launch your club's website, visit the link below to submit all the required information, along with some club-related images, and a draft of your site will be created for your review. If you have any questions along the way, feel free to reach out to CEMS Communications.
How can I add an event to the CEMS Events Calendar?
Adding an event to the CEMS Events calendar is easy!
Simply navigate to the link below to complete the online event submission form. If desired, events submitted here will also be shared on the connected UVM Events Calendar as well. To ensure good attendance, we recommend submitting the event form at least 2-3 weeks before the event.CEMS Event Calendar Submission – Fill out form
What is the Beatty fund and how do I apply?
Due to the generous donation of a UVM CEMS alumnus, Gerry Beatty, CEMS is able to support unique undergraduate student opportunities each year, including:
- CEMS student club activities
- Presentation of research at a conference
- Participation in a professional development conference
- Extracurricular design teams (not including capstone)
- Travel support for rising juniors and seniors participating in formal summer experiences abroad, in unpaid internship experiences, or club projects
- Notable speaker invitations to campus, in collaboration with at least one other student group
Application information is shared at the beginning of each semester, and applications are typically due in the third week of the semester.
If awarded, students are required to prepare a final report, due to the Dean at the end of April each year.
Funding may not be used for food, including for events or honorarium speakers, or individual student research projects, which are supported through the CEMS Research Experience for Undergraduates program.
How do I access club and Beatty funds?
- If you have SGA funds, reach out to SGA for details on how to make purchases and access these funds.
- If your club is registered with SGA and has been awarded Beatty funds, your club may access the Beatty award once SGA funds are spent down. Contact CEMS.Admins@uvm.edu for assistance.
How do I reserve a space and/or order food for a meeting or event?
If your club is registered with SGA, contact SGA for details on how to reserve space and order food.
If your club is not affiliated with SGA, contact CEMS.Admins@uvm.edu. You will need to provide the following information:
- Club name
- Name and department of the club member making the request
- Name and email of faculty advisor
- Name of event
- Brief description of event
- Date
- Time
- Number of people expected at event
- Other notes on location, set-up needs, food
How do I get CatCard access to rooms and buildings after hours?
Please contact CEMS.Admins@uvm.edu to request CatCard access to rooms and buildings after hours.