Malaspina builds bridge to help future engineers

Malaspina University-College is building a bridge to help future engineers launch their careers.

The ‘bridge’ is a new agreement with the University of Victoria (UVIC) which allows Malaspina to offer second-year engineering courses at the Nanaimo campus in September.

"This is great news for students who live north of Victoria, especially in smaller Vancouver Island communities like Nanaimo," said Malaspina engineering professor Ray Penner.

There are many advantages for students who begin their engineering degrees at Malaspina. "They’ll enjoy smaller class sizes, more interaction with instructors, and better access to labs and equipment than perhaps they'd find at a larger institution," said Penner. In addition, after second year, students will transfer straight into an eight month co-op work placement arranged through UVIC.

"Before they even graduate, these students will gain relevant, hands-on work experience and get paid for it," Penner said. "They’ll make important contacts in industry, and be guaranteed a seat in UVIC’s third-year engineering program."

Professional engineers are involved with development, design, analysis, and implementation of projects in a wide variety of fields. "There are great opportunities in the profession and future employment prospects for qualified graduates are strong," he added.

Malaspina hired two new instructors - Dr. Brian Dick and Eric Smiley - to teach second-year courses in electrical and computer engineering starting this fall. Mechanical engineering courses will be offered in 2007.

Dick and Smiley, who both graduated from Nanaimo area high schools, speak from experience when they say the bridging program is good for students.

Dick graduated from Woodlands Secondary School in 1992 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Simon Fraser University. He earned a graduate degree at the University of Alberta, and recently completed a post-doctorate at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California.

"Smaller class sizes are a big advantage at Malaspina," he said. "In my first year at SFU, I recall a math class with 400 students. The largest first-year class you’ll find at Malaspina is about 60 students, and a maximum of 20 in most second-year courses."

Students will also realize "huge cost savings" if they can live at home while attending Malaspina. "They'll save between $5,000 and $10,000 a year," said Dick.

Smiley graduated from Nanaimo District Secondary School, and studied for three years at Malaspina before pursuing an engineering degree at McGill University in Montreal.

"When I got to McGill, I realized how much better off I was having attended Malaspina first," he said. "Malaspina provides a good transition for students who aren't ready for a big city university."

Smiley and Dick are currently making the rounds of high schools in the mid-island area – including their old schools – to spread the news and generate excitement about Malaspina’s new ‘bridging’ program for engineering students.

As an added incentive, Dick’s private engineering company, Aurora NanoDevices Inc., is offering a $250 scholarship to a deserving first-year student and a $500 scholarship to a second-year student who commit to the program.

"I’m hoping mid-Island companies will step forward and provide more scholarships for Malaspina’s engineering students," he said.

Student David Farnsworth has already applied for second-year classes at Malaspina in September. "The bridging program is a perfect idea," said Farnsworth. "I’m originally from Courtenay and have just completed my first year at Malaspina. Now I can finish my second year, and live in student residences where I’ve made many new friends. Malaspina is renowned for its small class sizes and good student-teacher relationships. I’ll enjoy studying close to home for as long as possible."

Students interested in applying for first or second-year engineering courses at Malaspina should call Penner at (250) 753-3245, local 2336 or contact him by email at pennerr@viu.ca. More information is also available at www.viu.ca/engineering.