ISU engineers are showing their generosity with a new grant program called Minds of Tomorrow, which gives money to K-12 programs to help children learn more about what being an engineer is all about.

Katy Rice, director of the Corporate Alliance Program and faculty adviser to the group, is proud of the effort put forth by the students involved.

“This group is 99 percent run by students,” she said. “The only thing I do is advise them.”

Minds of Tomorrow works by finding companies who want to fund grants for K-12 schools to establish a new facility or curriculum that focuses on math, science or technology.

The students in Minds of Tomorrow contact schools and companies that are interested, recruit student volunteers, design logistics and help implement the grant.

Mark Kushner, dean of the College of Engineering, thinks this is a great way to teach engineers the value of altruism.

“There’s this realization you have that large advances are based on altruism.

“There are too many programs that focus on personal instead of societal gain, and this is changing that,” Kushner said.

Even though this is only the program’s first year, it is already growing rapidly.

There are currently 15 student ambassadors and two student co-chairs, and the organization is, right now, helping only two schools – Gilbert Community School District and Northeast Hamilton. Each school received a $5,000 grant.

“We have two schools currently and have two more in the wings.

“We hope that we can touch 10 schools a year minimum, and hope to have about 100 ambassadors soon,” Rice said.

The companies enjoy this program, as it helps them fuel a resource for the manpower they will need in the future by establishing a pipeline of students into engineering fields.

“This is very popular with our corporate sponsors, because they are struggling to find enough engineers,” Rice said.

Tayte Askelsen, sophomore in mechanical engineering and student co-chair of the organization, said this program is very rewarding for all groups involved.

“Well, we gave Hamilton all-new science kits for the entire school, and Gilbert got these really advanced graphing calculators that even have thermometer attachments.

“Things like that will really help them understand science and engineering more,” Askelsen said.

The companies involved may benefit by securing better future workers, and the schools benefit from new equipment. In addition, students involved also receive a chance to develop their organizational and financial skills, something they may not get a lot of experience within a classroom setting.

“I think this is really a unique way to give them leadership opportunities that deal with finances as much as engineering, and we could use more programs that do that, ” Kushner said.

With programs like this joining other philanthropic endeavors underway, ISU students are giving back to the community in new ways every day.

“The companies are happy that they’re getting more prospective employees, the students are happy that they’re getting a unique experience and helping out with the children, and the schools are just like, ‘Wow, this is amazing’,” Rice said.