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College of Engineering

Prepare to change the world. The T.J. Smull College of Engineering educates the next generation of creative problem solvers. One of the top 50 undergraduate engineering schools in the country, we produce engineers and computer scientists who blaze trails and harness technology for the betterment of humankind.

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Facts to Build On

Here, you’ll discover who you are and what you can do.

  • 96% Of 2022 engineering graduates found a job within six months
  • 21 In the nation for undergraduate engineering at universities without a PhD program, according to U.S. News & World Report
  • 87% Passage rate on the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam
  • 100% Placement in co-op program

Message from the Dean

Welcome to the T.J. Smull College of Engineering, where we are committed to providing individual attention to our students to help them succeed. Our students take part in experiential, hands-on learning in small classroom settings with dedicated, accessible professors. For over 100 years, engineering faculty have worked closely with students to help them graduate and achieve success beyond their dreams. Today, we’re proud to be ranked among the top 50 undergraduate engineering schools in the nation, and to provide our students a great education in a state-of-the-art facility. I look forward to welcoming you to campus!


- J.D. Yoder, Dean of the T.J. Smull College of Engineering

The space to unleash your potential

We’ve designed our engineering programs with your needs, interests and futures in mind. And we just finished a new building, too – centered on relationships, collaboration, innovation and academic rigor. It’s an inspired space for learning, creating and growing.

college of engineering new building

The James Lehr Kennedy Engineering Building is a Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building.

LEED Certified building
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College of Engineering New building
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Exterior of the engineering building

Find your passion, and go for it

We build educational experiences around your interests. Our rigorous academic programs provide a solid foundation in engineering principles.

  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Engineering Education
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Engineering Exploratory
  • CO-OP Program

Concentrations

Further specialize your course of study with a concentration in the following areas:

  • Advanced Energy
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Manufacturing
  • Robotics

Reach for your dream career

Employers seek out our graduates, telling us they are some of the best prepared engineers and computer scientists they’ve ever encountered. Here’s where you could end up:

  • College of engineering SpaceX logo
  • College of engineering honda logo
  • marathon logo
  • College of engineering nasa logo
  • College of engineering aep logo
  • College of engineering Pixar logo
  • college of engineering google logo
  • college of engineering emerson logo
  • college of engineering corna logo
  • college of engineering Microsoft logo
  • college of engineering TRC logo
  • college of engineering crown logo

Change the world

Forget what you think you know about engineers. You can teach. Heal. Entertain. Help others.

graphic circle - decorative only Photo of Lori (Burgett) Gillett, BSCE ’96

Lori (Burgett) Gillett, BSCE ’96

A leadership trailblazer.

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Kayla Hummell

Engineers in health care

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Oscar Dicke, BSEE 1911

Prolific inventor who helped usher in the modern age.

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College of engineering Mallory Weininger
Quote SVG
All the teachers are very ready to help you with absolutely anything. If they’ve got a free minute, they’re there for you.
Mallory Weininger, civil engineering major

Push the boundaries. Learn by doing

The foundation of engineering and computer science is action. Here you’ll put into practice everything you learn.

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college of engineering student in lab
college of engineering professor and student
college of engineering concrete canoe
college of engineering robot football
college of engineering professor and student

  • Our mission is to engage students through personal relationships and high-impact educational experiences to maximize their success.
    Our core values are:

    Personal Relationships. We foster the development of strong relationships between students, faculty, staff and alumni.

    Engagement. We engage everyone in the educational process through distinctive curricular and extracurricular activities.

    Opportunity. We provide unique educational opportunities that fully develop individuals into practicing engineers and computer scientists.

    Development and Success of Individuals. We seek to help each individual achieve success in pursuit of their personal and professional goals.

  • ABET accreditation is a measure of quality and an official seal of approval of our programs by a nonprofit, non-government organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

    ABET accreditation logo
    ABET accreditation logo

    It means that a team of highly skilled professionals from industry, academia and government scrutinized every aspect of our programs – curriculum, faculty, facilities and more – to ensure we meet high standards.

     

    It signifies that our programs are capable of producing graduates who are ready to lead the way in innovation and emerging technology.

     

    Our bachelor’s degree programs in civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, engineering education and mechanical engineering are all accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. Our bachelor’s degree program in computer science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.

     

    See Program Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes for each program in the college here.

  • Fall Engineering Enrollment
      2019 2020 2021 2022
    Civil Engineering 90 103 128 129
    Computer Engineering 35 46 40 49
    Computer Science 40 46 58 67
    Electrical Engineering 44 64 72 79
    Engineering Education 7 7 6 5
    Mechanical Engineering 262 292 310 313
    Engineering Exploratory (Undecided) 15 12 31 28
    Total 493 570 645 670
             
             
             
    Engineering Graduates
      2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
    Civil Engineering 22 24 18 19
    Computer Engineering 1 8 9 6
    Computer Science 9 8 9 3
    Electrical Engineering 10 5 10 16
    Engineering Education 0 1 1 2
    Mechanical Engineering 43 41 42 67
    Total 85 87 89 113
  • Want to build a concrete canoe, radio-controlled airplane or off-road vehicle that can stand up to the competition? Every year ONU teams travel to regional and national competitions where they’re pitted against engineering students from top schools across the U.S. We’re proud of our excellent standings year after year in these competitions.

  • On campus you’ll find a variety of active and award-winning student organizations. Several are dedicated to engineering and computer science. By participating, you’ll develop leadership skills, network with professionals, make lifelong friends, gain knowledge about your chosen profession, volunteer, and have the chance to travel to regional and national conferences. Campus opportunities include Joint Engineering Council (JEC), Polar Robotics Club, and Innovators of Ohio Northern (ION). Honoraries and Greeks include Tau Beta Pi, Upsilon Pi Epsilon and Phi Sigma Rho. Professional organizations include American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE), Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and Society of Women Engineers (SWE).

            • In a world of accelerating change, the skills you learn today can be obsolete tomorrow. What will stand the test of time, however, is a mindset. The Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) at ONU was created to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset among undergraduate engineering students. The entrepreneurial mindset is one that embraces change, blending technical understanding with the desire to craft innovative solutions that create extraordinary value for others. Ohio Northern University is among 50 elite schools invited to join KEEN, and it’s one of the few institutions to be with the network since its inception in 2005.

            • Why wait until you graduate to make a difference? You can start now. Tackle real projects in local communities and across the globe that improve lives. 

               

              For local impact, check out EPICS: Engineering Projects in Community Service. Students team up to solve engineering challenges for local organizations. Read about how we built a replica Mars rover for the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio; refurbished a concrete base for historical Civil War cannons in Forest, Ohio; upgraded the village of Ada’s website; adapted toys to match the capabilities of children with different physical disabilities; and constructed a wooden pedestal for a cast-bronze bell for the Ada First United Methodist Church.

               

              For global impact, check out Northern Engineers without Borders. Students travel to remote villages in developing countries to work with villagers on engineering projects that will improve the standard of living in the village. These projects usually involve electricity, fresh water or buildings. In recent years, our students have coordinated projects in the Dominican Republic.

               

              For impact on the next generation, STEM Academy gets local elementary students excited about the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). ONU engineering students plan, organize and staff STEM Academy. They travel to local elementary schools and engage students in interactive engineering projects – like building batteries out of lemons and weight-bearing structures out of playing cards.

            • Some ONU engineering students participate in research experiences for undergraduates, called REUs. These usually take place at large research institutions or government labs. REUs are highly competitive. You have to apply and be accepted by the group sponsoring the research. But ONU students have an excellent rate of placement. Our engineering and computer science students have participated in REUs at Duke, Georgia Tech, Case Western, Notre Dame, Ohio State and the Mayo Clinic, working in the areas of nano-technology, wind turbines, biomedical, automotive and more. We also offer an REU for ONU engineering students through the Evans Student Research Fellowship Program. This program provides 10 weeks of paid work during the summer for two students assisting ONU engineering professors with their research projects. Evans Fellows are selected through a competitive application process.

            • At ONU, we feel a keen sense of responsibility to do our part to increase interest in the engineering field. Through camps and outreach programs, we expose hundreds of young people to engineering every year. We spark curiosity, build interest and generate excitement for engineering among students in elementary through high school. Learn more.

            • Females: Find out what it’s really like to be an engineering student at Ohio Northern during a special on-campus overnight experience. You’ll be grouped with current ONU engineering women, so feel free to pick their brains. Ask them anything. You’ll get the answers you seek and an honest depiction of what life is like as a female engineering student at Ohio Northern. Hosted once a year by the Society of Women Engineers, this event includes opportunities to learn more about the various disciplines of engineering, a scavenger hunt to familiarize yourself with ONU’s campus, and other bonding activities with current and prospective students.

               

              For more information about the SWE Overnight, please contact Laurie Laird, director of corporate & alumni relations and assistant professor of mechanical engineering, at l-laird@onu.edu or 419-772-2421.

            •  

              Dr. Keith Buffinton
              Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Bucknell University

              Mr. Michael Chow
              President, Metro CD Engineering, LLC

              Mr. Foster Clark
              Business Development Manager, Marathon Petroleum Corporation

              Ms. Lori Gillett
              CEO of Corna Kokosing Construction Company

              Mr. Bruce Hollinger
              President, Boca Mfg, LLC

              Ms. Jessica L. Howley
              Transmission Line Engineering Manager, AEP

              Dr. Chuck LaBerge
              Professor of the Practice of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, UMBC

              Mr. Bruce LeMaster
              Vice President of Manufacturing, Obsidian Solutions Group, LLC

              Mr. Scott McClintock
              Project Manager and Civil Engineer, Kass Corp./ 2AW Limited

              Ms. Jennifer O'Brian
              New Products Engineering Manager | Heating, Cooling & Construction Innovation, Worthington Industries

              Ms. Joanna Pinkerton
              President & CEO, Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA)

              Mr. Timothy Quellhorst
              Retired Senior Vice President, Crown Equipment Corporation

              Dr. Rajan Rajendran
              Global Vice President - Environmental Sustainability, Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions

              Mr. Michael Rencheck
              President and CEO, Bruce Power

              Mr. Rob Ryan
              President, LNG Advisors (Retired)

              Ms. Sarah Schwab
              Sub-Section Manager - Edison Leader, GE Aviation

              Mr. Tim Thompson
              Senior Director, Software Development, NPI Americas, Roku

               

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            Faculty Listing

            With small class sizes, you will get to know your faculty and they know you. Ask questions, meet one-on-one for guidance and many opportunities for research and networking. Click below for the College of Engineering faculty listing.

            • College of Engineering Office
            • Civil and Environmental Engineering
            • Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science
            • Mechanical Engineering
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            College of Engineering

            107 Lehr Kennedy
            525 South Main Street
            Ada, Ohio 45810

            419-772-2371
            engineering@onu.edu
            • Contact us
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            Take the first step toward your future

            Becoming an engineer or computer scientist is a journey. It requires commitment and hard work. But we know you’ve got what it takes, and we can’t wait to meet you.
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