Photos by Ashley Norman and Sam Williams
More than 800 students gathered in the Engineering Quad at the University of Oklahoma to kick off the fall semester at the annual Shell Fall Fest, a long-standing tradition that welcomes students into the OU Engineering community.
Hosted jointly by the Gallogly College of Engineering and OU Engineers’ Club, Fall Fest brings together engineering students, faculty, staff, student organizations, competition teams and industry partners for an afternoon of food, activities and connection. Shell serves as a longtime sponsor and supporter of the event and a committed partner of the University of Oklahoma, supporting opportunities that connect students with industry and strengthen their educational experience.
Fall Fest has become a signature tradition for OU Engineering. The event is held at the beginning of each fall semester and is designed especially to help new students, including first-year and transfer students, find their place within the College.
Students can meet representatives from more than 60 engineering student organizations, competition teams and technical societies while learning about opportunities to get involved outside the classroom. Those organizations give students opportunities to develop leadership skills, collaborate with their peers and explore their academic and professional interests.
“Fall Fest is one of the best ways we can welcome students into the OU Engineering community,” said Randa Shehab, Ph.D., Senior Associate Dean of the Gallogly College of Engineering. “When students arrive on campus, we want them to know that they belong here. They have a community around them, people they can turn to and opportunities to get involved from their first days at OU. Fall Fest helps make that connection happen.”
For students, the event offers an early opportunity to begin building relationships that can shape their experience at OU.
“Once a student chooses OU Engineering, our job doesn’t stop at enrollment,” said Dalton Brasington, executive director of outreach and recruitment for the Gallogly College of Engineering. “We want students to feel welcomed, connected and excited about being part of this community from the moment they arrive on campus. Fall Fest is a great example of that. It gives students an immediate opportunity to find their people, discover what interests them and start building the relationships that will shape their time at OU.”
“Fall Fest gives students a chance to see how much there is to be a part of within engineering,” said Justin Rula, an OU Engineering student. “You can meet people from different majors, learn about organizations and find something that interests you. It makes the engineering community feel a lot more connected.”
Parker Lawrence, another OU Engineering student, said the event also provides an opportunity for returning students to help welcome the newest members of the College. “It is exciting to see so many STEM students in one place,” Lawrence said. “For new students, it is a chance to meet people and find organizations they might want to join. For returning students, it is a chance to welcome us back and come together.”
The College’s emphasis on student involvement extends throughout the academic year. OU Engineering supports more than 60 student organizations, providing students with opportunities to develop leadership, collaboration and professional skills outside the classroom.
“Engineering is a team profession, and our students should have opportunities to practice being part of a team while they are here,” Shehab said. “The relationships students build through organizations, competition teams and other activities become an important part of their education and their experience at OU.”
The scale of this year’s Fall Fest reflects the continued strength of that community, with more than 800 students attending the event and a record number of student organizations and campus partners attending.
For more than 20 years, Fall Fest has provided OU Engineering students with an opportunity to begin the academic year together. With the support of Shell, the tradition continues to bring students together and introduce each new class to the people, organizations and opportunities that make up the OU Engineering community.
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