Hard Hat Ceremony | Fall 2024
Ever since the first Hard Hat Ceremony in Fall 2022, the event has become a landmark tradition for all Construction Science and Management graduates. The recent Fall 2024 ceremony was a tremendous day for all the graduates, as they received their bright orange hard hats, a symbol of all their hard work and prowess in the construction industry. Klesse College is honored to recognize all of the efforts and dedication of these hardworking students and is excited to see where their futures take them.
Order of the Engineers Ring Ceremony | Fall 2024
Following the inaugural Order of the Engineer Ring ceremony on June 4th, 1970, many colleges, UTSA’s Klesse College included, have embraced the tradition, and made it a staple experience in all engineering student’s journeys. As part of the ceremony, the students are asked to accept the Obligation of the Engineer and with it, the stainless steel ring, which symbolizes the oath to help humanity while being mindful of the Earth and its natural resources. UTSA Engineering Fall 2024 graduates recently participated in this monumental milestone, providing them with a profound experience they will not forget well into their adult lives.
Field Trip: Laser Spectroscopy and Chemical Propulsion Laboratory
Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design features numerous revolutionary labs, exciting projects, and innovative teams across campus, and the Klesse College Field Trips series is dedicated to uncovering these fascinating stories and showcasing the remarkable work taking place. Join us on a field trip as we explore Dr. Daniel Pineda’s Laser Spectroscopy and Chemical Propulsion Laboratory.
Monster Mash Pumpkin Smash 2024
This year we celebrated 10 years of smashing pumpkins, in the name of engineering! The 2024 Monster Mash Pumpkin Smash featured five student-built trebuchets that launched pumpkins through the air. The team with the longest reach (combined measures after 3 tosses) won $1,000 for their student organization. Congratulations to all of the students who made the day fun, exciting and SUCCESSFUL! Extra congratulations to the team from the Makerspace (sponsored by International) who took first place. Bravo!
Klesse College Unveils New Tutoring Center
Students at Klesse College may already be familiar with the Tutoring Center, a designated space designed for effective studying and learning, where they can meet with trained tutors, but recently, the beloved space has gone through some massive changes. The Student Success Center is excited to unveil the new Tutoring Center, a significantly enhanced space in a new location designed to further elevate the quality of students' learning experiences.
Klesse Scholars Luncheon
Klesse Scholars were celebrated and honored at a luncheon featuring an intimate conversation with benefactor, Bill Klesse. During this event, Mr. Klesse shared his insights and wisdom on navigating college and their future careers. With consistent messages that focused on integrity, hard work, and finding a way to making a difference in our world. This year, 73 students received a Margie and Bill Klesse Endowed Scholarship and 7 faculty received endowed positions contributing to their research and work with students on campus. Thank you to Margie and Bill Klesse for their continued support of our students and their educational journeys.
UTSA Students Visit Port San Antonio and StandardAero
Twenty-four enthusiastic students from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) chapter at UTSA embarked on an insightful tour of Port San Antonio and StandardAero. This event offered students a valuable opportunity to explore the growing aerospace development sector in San Antonio while networking with industry leaders. The tours were both inspiring and engaging, allowing students to envision potential careers in a field they felt passionate about.
All About Internships
In the last year, many Klesse College students participated in a diverse range of unique and exciting internships, gaining invaluable experience in their respective fields. From leading organizations such as Navistar, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and NASA, to global companies like Valero, PepsiCo, and Boeing, the interns held various positions, familiarizing themselves with both emerging and established industries. Klesse College proudly recognizes the achievements of these interns and encourages all students to pursue their own future internships, experiences, and opportunities.
Back To School Bash
Klesse College kicked off the academic year with the Fall 2024 Back To School Bash, an event celebrating KCEID faculty, staff, and students. The event was a resounding success, offering students the chance to explore various student organizations, connect with their peers, and enjoy a lively atmosphere created just for them.
Bridge Students Visit Navistar
Our Klesse College Summer Bridge Program students had the chance to tour Navistar Inc last week as a part of their engineering curriculum. They learned about the different labs, testing techniques, simulators, and functions at their plant. They also had a chance to spend one-on-one time with current employees who talked about their own educational journeys, job responsibilities and career paths.
Spring 2024 Architecture Open House
The School of Architecture and Planning recently hosted its Spring 2024 Architecture Open House, where architecture and interior design students were given the opportunity to showcase the designs they developed through their course curriculum. The halls of the Downtown Campus studios were filled with model displays and architectural presentation boards, letting industry leaders, friends and family members see the creativity and the progress made over the last year.
RoboArt Exhibit
Mechanical Engineering students from the Arts in Robotics Course and the Fundamentals of Robotics Course presented their final projects at the first ever RoboArt Exhibition at UTSA. Student’s engineered various different projects showcasing both their artistic talent and robotics knowledge. Each presented a real-time demonstration from the student engineer that displayed the robotic aspect of their installation.
Autonomous Model Car
As part of their Microcomputer Systems II Course, Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering students were tasked with writing an algorithm enabling their model car to drive around the track entirely independently. Using a camera and the students’ codes, the autonomous cars could scan the lines on the track and follow them to complete the course. Sixty-six students competed in twelve different teams against each other for the fastest track completion time.
EPICS Senior Projects
Upperclassmen students participating in the EPICS Program had the opportunity to present their senior projects encompassing years of hard work to their respective community partners. Two groups developed early prototypes of autonomous litter-removal bots for the Maverick Creek area and another group engineered a machine for the San Antonio Zoo that helped simulate natural feeding habits for their anteaters. Projects like these demonstrate the creativity and ingenuity of the EPICS students as they continue to use their knowledge and skills to help local communities.
EPICS Project Display and Robot Competition
After two semesters of hard work, freshman teams participating in the EPICS Program were able to showcase their team’s projects to visiting professionals and organizations. Each team developed a project that could be used for the betterment of the community as well as a robot to participate in the following robot competition. The United States AIR Force was one of the visiting organizations that was able to see firsthand these students' creativity and technical skills.
