Engineering Learning Community

Scholarships Available for Fall 2024 students! More information about half way down.

The Engineering Learning Community is a first-year program for engineering students. Students in the ELC live in the same dorm their first year, take some classes together their first semester at Rowan, and participate in group activities. Junior/Senior engineering students (who did the ELC their first-year) mentor ELC students. The ELC helps students form bonds with each other and faculty and helps with the transition to college. ELC classes and activities are completed in groups of approximately 20-25 students. Students live in Holly Pointe Commons. According to one ELC student

I liked the ELC because you met people right away that were involved in your majors...We helped each other with homework. We had clinic together so we would remind each other about homework assignments.

 

The common ELC classes count for all engineering majors, ELC students just take them together. They are: First-Year Clinic and Calculus I. They are required courses for all engineering majors. If you have AP or Transfer credit for an ELC course you do not have to retake it for the ELC. Students also participate in the ELC Seminar, a zero-credit course. It is used to help ELC students get to know each other quickly, form study groups, learn academic success skills, be exposed to campus activities and resources, and access tutoring. 

ELC Seminar sessions range from social to academic. Each ELC section is different, depending on the interests of its students and faculty. Recent example activities include:

• Why Engineering? - Talk to faculty and other students about engineering;
• Transition - getting to know each other, forming study groups, and campus resources;
• Academic Success - Study skills, resume writing, course registration, etc.;
• Fun - Socials, board games, kickball, volleyball, bowling, etc.; and
• Campus Culture - Clubs, performances, athletic events, movies, seminars, etc.; and
• Skills - Excel, MATLAB, etc.

We are no longer accepting applications for the Fall 2023 ELC.

Apply to the ELC by May 1 by emailing everett@rowan.edu. Include your full name, Rowan Banner ID number--which you get during the application process--and an essay of less than 150 words on why you want to join the ELC. Use the subject line "ELC Application". Why do we want ELC applications so early? We want to get ELC names to the Registrar in early May. First-year engineering students get placed into Fall classes first out of all new students! 

I missed the deadline, what can I do? Keep applying as described above until the end of June or select the ELC option on your Housing form. We accept applicants until we run out of space; however, once we submit names to the Registrar in early May, we cannot get you into the 'ELC' sections of FEC I or Calc I. You'll still be able to live in the ELC dorm area and participate in an ELC seminar.

IMPORTANT: If you cannot submit your Rowan Deposit by May 1, email Professor Everett to affirm that you are definitely coming to Rowan and still want to be in the ELC. To include you in the list of ELC students we send to the Registrar, we need to see you in the system as a deposited student OR we need an email letting us know you are definitely coming to Rowan. To get in ELC Housing you still need to submit a regular Rowan Housing application by the Housing deadline. That puts you in the Housing system. The ELC can then send your name to Housing to get you into ELC Housing. The ELC will show up as an LLC option on the Housing form in late April. If you see it: select it, but the application above is more important!

NSF S-STEM Scholarships: Students entering in Fall 2024 who have financial need are eligible to apply for an S-STEM Scholarship: $10,000 per year for four years. S-STEM Scholarship students are expected to participate in the ELC, targeted mentoring, and a leadership development program. A completed FAFSA must be on file with Rowan’s financial aid office before we can consider you for an S-STEM Scholarship. Complete this Interest Form if you want to be considered.

FAQs for students joining the ELC Fall 2024

Do I have to fill out a housing form? YES. You MUST complete a Housing form by the regular deadline. (It is due sometime AFTER you get accepted to Rowan and send in your deposit.) If you see a check box for the ELC on the housing form, go ahead and select it; however, the ELC application above is more important! Why? Because students who want to fully participate in the ELC have to apply directly to the ELC well before the housing application deadline. If all you do is select the ELC option on the Housing form, you can still live in the ELC dorm area and take an ELC seminar (space permitting), but you won't be in the 'ELC' sections of FEC I and Calc I.

Can Professor E answer every question I have about Rowan? No. I am a professor in the College of Engineering. I have run the ELC since 2009, but I am not privy to all the information available to staff in admissions or housing. I can only help with ELC-specific questions. 

Am I accepted into the ELC? The only way you might not be accepted is if (1) your application is inappropriate or incomplete or (2) the ELC runs out of space. In either case, you'll get a follow up email from me when I look at your application (after the automatic email triggered by your application). Because 'stuff happens', email me if you do not get an ELC email from me within a week of submitting your ELC application. It will be sent to the email you gave in your application and come from 'everett@rowan.edu'. If you submit after the Registrar deadline, you can still live the ELC dorm area and take an ELC seminar (space permitting), but you won't be in the 'ELC' sections of FEC I and Calc I.

Can I do the ELC and Honors? Yes, but... Students who want to do both Honors and ELC should join the ELC now and join Honors in the Spring semester of their first year. If you are already accepted to Honors, you can have your acceptance deferred to the Spring. Or, you can apply to Honors during your first semester on campus. So, if you want to do both: Join ELC in the Fall and join Honors in the Spring. FYI: The ELC is just for the first year, while the Honors program is all four years. First-year students in both groups live in Holly Pointe Commons. The focus of the ELC is ensuring a good transition to college. Honors has a broader focus.

Is there a particular summer orientation I should attend? No. You can go to any summer orientation.

Which dorm is the ELC in? Holly Pointe Commons, Pods A through D, second floor. If you get a different assignment, let me know ASAP. I do not know when the assignments are made available to you.

Can I request a roommate? Yes. Once you both complete the official Housing form you also have to make an official roommate request. I'm not sure, but you may need to submit your Rowan deposit first. Housing can provide more information. Finally, you and your desired roommate should email me. If the roommate you want is in the ELC, let me know early enough and we can put you in the same ELC sections of FEC I, Calc I, and ELC seminar (the earlier the better). Housing honors outside-of-ELC roommate requests as space allows.

Do I HAVE to request a roommate? No. You do not have to request a roommate. We assign students to ELC sub-groups of 24 or smaller. Housing can assign roommates within those groups based on your housing form.

How can I get to know other ELC students before the Fall? A student volunteer sets up a Facebook group. We email the URL to everyone. Let me know if you want to set up the Facebook group.

What are the Fall 2024 ELC course sections? First-Year Clinic (sections are 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13), Calculus I (sections are TBD), and Independent Study-ELC Seminar (sections 1-6). ELC students that are not placed in ELC sections of these courses should let me know ASAP, but I do not know exactly when your fall course schedule will be sent to you. You do not have to take the FEC I or Calc I if you have AP or transfer credit.

Can I drop ELC courses? You cannot drop ELC Seminar and still be in the ELC. You can drop an ELC section of FEC I or Calculus I during summer orientation, but ONLY if you have AP or Transfer credit. Your engineering advisor can help. Please let Prof. Everett know if you intend to do this. 

What kind of laptop should I get? Check out the RU Laptop Policy.

Who is my engineering advisor? Go to the advising page.

More questions? Email Professor Jess Everett (everett@rowan.edu), he is ready to help!