Engineering majors are celebrating Engineering Week with a career fair and high school visitation day.

The activities will conclude Saturday with the Engineers Ball; new events include a freshman quiz bowl and GPS scavenger hunt.

“E-Week is a celebration of engineering,” said Frank Peters, associate professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering.

Peters said E-Week is a great opportunity to bring together current students, potential new students, alumni and faculty.

This year’s festivities are the work of Kristy Chatt and Sarah Shay. Chatt and Shay, both seniors in mechanical engineering, are the two general co-chairwomen of the E-Week Central Committee. They are in charge of planning, creating and doing most of the activities for the week.

“It’s been pretty hectic for both of us,” Chatt said.

Chatt became involved with E-Week because of a bad experience at St. Louis University: When she attended a career fair at St. Louis University, there was only one engineer present. Once at Iowa State, she decided to become involved in creating a strong engineer week.

“[It’s] a great opportunity for students here,” Chatt said.

Shay first became acquainted with E-Week when she came to senior visitation day. Once on campus, she quickly became involved as an engineering ambassador and took on more leadership roles.

Assisting Chatt and Shay are 11 central committee chairpersons and 50 to 60 committee members, with ambassadors also present to help out during the week.

Chatt said the they had a strong turnout for ambassadors this year.

More than 80 students applied and nearly all were accepted for the position, doubling last year’s number.

One of the highlights of E-Week is the Engineering Career Fair. Chatt said the career fair has grown each year. In 1997, the fair was held in the Memorial Union. This week the fair will be held in Hilton Coliseum and the Scheman Building.

Over 230 companies are expected to be present to recruit new members. Chatt noted 50 percent of those recruiters are alumni of the Iowa State’s College of Engineering.

Shay said she expects about 200 students and their families to visit campus on High School Senior Visitation Day.