About Us

Our Program

Over the course of seven sessions, Access students will participate in hands-on labs and projects that introduce them to six different engineering disciplines: mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, material science engineering, computer science, biomedical engineering, and chemical engineering. Each class will be taught by college students majoring in those disciplines. Students will learn what it’s like to study these disciplines in college, and understand how each discipline can be used to improve communities.

Additionally, Access Engineering is a place for students to make new connections and find mentorship. Each student will be a part of a cohort, consisting of college students studying engineering and other students. At the end of the program, each cohort will collaborate on a final project: A proposal for an engineering solution to better the Philadelphia community.

Who We Are

Access Engineering was founded in 2014 in response to engineering students’ desire to connect with the larger Philadelphia community and share the resources provided to us at Penn. At its core, Access Engineering is a free engineering education program for Philadelphia public high school students. We hold a free, weekly session that acquaints students with the various engineering disciplines through hands-on workshops. We are the largest community service club in the School of Engineering at Penn, and we were named Engineering Club of the Year in the 2022-2023 term.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide an environment where students can further their interest in engineering and realize their capability to be the future of engineering. We aim to achieve our goal by providing workshops in seven engineering disciplines that focus on applying the engineering skillset in diverse applications, breaking down engineering stereotypes, and demonstrating engineering as a powerful tool for action. We strive to contribute to STEM educational equity in Philadelphia, and particularly focus on serving underrepresented students who may have limited opportunities for exposure to engineering.

Teacher Testimonials