At the University of Virginia’s Department of Chemical Engineering, students are taught to think like professional engineers. Throughout their years in the program, students learn clear communication, creativity and problem-solving skills in class and in the lab — and now, on a ropes course.
To welcome new students to the Department of Chemical Engineering, second-year and transfer students were invited to the first iteration of “CHE: The Challenge.” Hosted at the UVA Recreation Outdoor Adventure Challenge Course, the event provided students with both physical and mental challenges that showcased the importance of teamwork, communication and on-the-fly strategic thinking.
Students were divided into teams and presented with increasingly difficult challenges. Through efficient communication, teamwork and creative thinking, they came up with innovative solutions to meet those challenges.
When they graduate and enter the workforce, they may not find themselves crossing rope bridges or pulling their colleagues up a massive rope ladder rung-by-rung, but chemical engineers do rely on the strength of their teams and their sharpened problem-solving abilities to accomplish their goals in efficient and innovative ways.
And while the students may have learned skills that will help them in college and beyond, the benefits went further than that — they had fun and made friends.
“The challenge course event made my first few weeks at UVA a little easier. I found myself asking a lot of people for directions and about policies, even if I didn’t know them.” said Franciele Momberg, a transfer student. “It also helped me get better at speaking up in groups.”
The department looks forward to inviting a new group of students to CHE: The Challenge next fall.