Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s robust surveying engineering program offers two degrees, an associate’s in surveying engineering technology and a bachelor of science in surveying engineering. The degree program students opt for is a personal choice, based on their interests, goals and personal situations. In honor of National Surveyors Week, held each year in mid-March, here we profile two campus students in surveying engineering, one pursuing an associate’s degree and one working toward a bachelor’s degree.
Surveying engineering students from Penn State Wilkes-Barre had the opportunity to learn more about their field and meet with professionals, including program alumni, during the annual Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors conference held Jan. 12-15 in Hershey.
As president of the Surveying Society on campus, Hannah Corson is leading the way in showing others the opportunities available in her field.
Corson, a senior surveying engineering major at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, took on the role of president after serving as vice president last year. As president, she coordinates employer presentations on campus, the club’s attendance at the annual Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors (PSLS) conference, and other events.
Faisal Altwaim, a surveying engineering student at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, is separated from his family and home in Saudi Arabia by more than 6,000 miles. He has found the campus community “extremely helpful” and “like family.”
“At a smaller campus like Penn State Wilkes-Barre, you are treated more on an individual level. They truly care about your learning and overall academic experience,” he said.
Though their paths and chosen engineering disciplines are different, Penn State Wilkes-Barre students Bettina Dorow (left) and Verena Lake encourage other women interested in engineering to follow their hearts and study what they love.
Greg Ellsworth, a fourth-year student at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, has found working with engineering faculty on projects outside the classroom to be a benefit for the career he plans to undertake in surveying engineering.
Several graduates of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre surveying engineering program are working with federal government agencies to provide important data for mapping and transportation throughout the United States, from measuring the depths of the ocean to mapping the United States coastline.
It’s a new technology. It’s a collaboration among students in a variety of majors. It provides research experience. And it’s only happening at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, where students are exploring the world of virtual reality to research and enhance surveying engineering education.
