Here are a few FAQ’s about concurrent enrollment in Valparaiso University’s College of Engineering (CoE) and Christ College (CC)—the honors college.

1.  What can you expect when you combine Engineering and Christ College as your focus of education at Valparaiso University?

“The interdisciplinary nature of the Christ College Curriculum allowed me to integrate a technical interest in engineering with a personal fascination for the arts and society. Through class discussion and ensuing conversations, the program offered me a venue for development of close relationships with students and faculty whose primary interests do not resemble mine. This interaction has allowed me to incorporate more and diverse ideas while I develop as a human being and an engineer.”

Julie Steinbrenner, VU, 2002
Stanford Graduate Fellowship, Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University

2.  How does a Christ College honors education benefit College of Engineering students? How does it apply to a science-related career?

Excellent communication skills and a solid foundation in the liberal arts are valuable in all professions. An honors education in the humanities and social sciences as offered by Christ College can set you apart from other engineers.
   
“The huge long-term benefit of Christ College is the development of your writing skills. Christ College’s first semester gives students a unique opportunity to really learn how to write.  The student doesn’t have to worry about the grade (because all CC students are graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) during the first semester in order to help them adjust to college study without the pressure of a grade in the honors college) and it gives the professors the freedom to critique in depth—producing not just good, but exceptional results. Increasing dependence on electronic correspondence in technical fields such as engineering intensifies an engineer’s need to accurately convey ideas in writing.  It is a skill most engineers would rather do without, but a skill all engineers need.”

Faith Dunn
Valpo CE Graduate 2007

3.  How many College of Engineering freshmen will also be members of Christ College?

Each year 15-20% of the students entering the College of Engineering also decide to be members of Christ College. That is typically more than any other major—CC is a popular choice for high achieving engineering students. We encourage all strong engineering students who are invited to join Christ College to do so. If CC turns out not to be for you after the first semester, or at any time, switching to the non-honors track is easy to do. And having taken Christ College courses, a student is always ahead in credits and fulfilling degree requirements.

4.  Do you have time for other activities, like musical ensembles, clubs, and intramural sports?

“I personally am in Kantorei choral group right now and am also participating in intramural volleyball through ASME.  It is very possible to participate in other things while in CC and engineering.  A lot of it depends on how much you can personally handle though, which is why it is a good idea to try a variety of activities in the first semester while CC is S/U.  AP credit is also extremely helpful in making everything fit in so get all that you can.”

Peter Krenzke
Senior  Mechanical Engineer and VIEP German Program Participant

5. Do the Christ College classes fit in with engineering course requirements?   

Yes, almost all of the courses required for a Christ College Associate or Scholar designation fulfill general education requirements for engineering.  The four-year Christ College Curriculum is designed to complement all Valparaiso University programs of study, including the College of Engineering programs in Civil, Computer, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering. Most College of Engineering students enrolled in Christ College elect to earn the honors designation of Christ College Associate, which requires the fewest credits; others choose to take additional CC courses to earn the designation of Scholar. Christ College honors designations of Associate and Scholar can be earned without unusual credit overloads or extra semesters.  

All first-year students in the College of Engineering and Christ College take the same courses:

Fall Semester 1	Cr.		Spring Semester 2	Cr.
CC 110: Texts and Contexts	8		CC 115: Texts and Contexts II	8
MATH 131 or 132	4		MATH 132 or 253	4
PHYS 141	3		PHYS 142	3
PHYS 141L	1		CE, ECE, or ME major course	3
GE 100	3		PE	1
	19			19

 

Recommended Christ College courses for College of Engineering students leading to Christ College Associate honors designation at commencement and on the student transcript:

6.  Do engineering graduate schools and employers value Christ College honors as a credential?

Yes! Recent Engineering/Christ College graduates have been accepted into top graduate programs such as those at Stanford University, Marquette University, Purdue University, and the University of Minnesota. Other recent grads are employed by Motorola, General Motors Powertrain, Engineering Enterprises, the US Air Force, and the Department of Defense.

7.  After the freshman year what sorts of courses do students take in Christ College?

After the CC Freshman Program students choose from several sophomore-level courses. During their junior and senior years they choose from dozens of seminars on a variety of topics including: The Scientific Endeavor; Ecology, Justice, and Faith; Environment, Faith, and Ethics; and Environmental History of the American West. Non-science topics from recent semesters have included: Caribbean Music; World War II: Culture, Ideology, and Politics; Freedom; Drama and the Church; Justice; Poe and Baudelaire; and Popular Culture and the Power of Images. Engineering students have a wide range of choices.

Christ College/ Engineering Alumnus Wins 2007 National Science Foundation Award

The National Science Foundation recently honored Christ College/ Engineering alumnus Jason Hallman ME ’06 with an NSF graduate research fellowship for graduate studies in biomedical engineering at Marquette University.

Distinguished Student ’04 Peter Hinck Wins NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

It was a first for the Valparaiso University Alumni Association! Senior civil engineer Peter Hinck (Minneapolis, MN) was named the 2004 Distinguished Student Award from the College of Engineering and from Christ College. This prestigious honor recognizes student scholarship, leadership, service, and character.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) recognized Hinck as well with a highly competitive fellowship for graduate research. NSF’s fellowship program recognizes outstanding undergraduate students and offers up to three years of support for advanced study to approximately 900 graduate students in the mathematical, physical, biological, engineering, and behavioral and social sciences. The funding will assist Hinck in pursuing a master’s degree in the University of Minnesota's biosystems and agricultural engineering program starting in fall 2005.

No wonder both his Valpo colleges wanted to honor him! Peter Hinck was a truly extraordinary student, one of those rare people who is equally gifted and able to perform at the very highest level in both science/engineering and the humanities. He graduated in May with a BS summa cum laude in civil engineering. In addition, he earned a major in the humanities through CC, and a minor in mathematics. He completed two semesters and two summers of cooperative education in engineering; and throughout this ambitious, double-edged academic program, he maintained a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.