Student Organizations

Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) represents more than 123,000 members of the civil engineering profession worldwide, and is America's oldest national engineering society. ASCE's vision is to position engineers as global leaders building a better quality of life. The Society celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2002.' ASCE at SIU Carbondale was chartered in 1986 by 5 students. We currently have more than 20 members and are growing. We try to focus on activities that will develop our skills as civil engineers participating in cooperative efforts. The major events of SIUC ASCE are the Steel Bridge Team and the Concrete Canoe.

ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real-world challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world. Our mission is to serve our diverse global communities by advancing, disseminating and applying engineering knowledge for improving the quality of life; and communicating the excitement of engineering. Our vision is to be the essential resource for mechanical engineers and other technical professionals throughout the world for solutions that benefit humankind.

American Society of Quality (ASQ) is the world's leading membership organization devoted to quality. ASQ at SIU Carbondale is a student chapter for ASQ’s St. Louis Region, and a Registered Student Organization (RSO) on campus. ASQ's objective as a professional association is to advance learning in the areas of quality improvement, exchange knowledge with experts in the area and to share ideas with industry peers.  The major event is the annual SIU Carbondale ASQ conference in the areas of quality, reliability and Six Sigma.

ATMAE is recognized as the premiere professional association responsible for: (1) the promotion of industrial technology in business, industry, education, and government; (2) the accreditation of industrial technology programs in colleges, universities, and technical institutes; and (3) the certification of industrial technologists and the recognition of their continued professional development. 

Engineering Student Council is an organization for Engineering RSO's and students to gather and collaborate on their different activities and events throughout the year. All RSO Liaisons are invited to the weekly meetings, along with anyone else who wishes to attend.

Dubbed the “Blueprint Brigade,” by Time Magazine, EWB-USA grew from little more than a handful of members in 2002 to over 12,000 today.  EWB-USA has over 350 projects in over 45 developing countries around the world that focus on water, renewable energy, sanitation and more.  These projects are completed in partnership with local communities and NGOs. EWB-USA helps create a more stable and prosperous world by addressing people's basic human needs by providing necessities such as clean water, power, sanitation and education. EWB-USA’s strength comes from its over 250 dedicated chapters, including university chapters on 180 campuses in the United States.

Eta Kappa Nu is a unique membership organization dedicated to encouraging and recognizing excellence in the electrical and computer engineering field. Members consist of students, alumni and other professionals who have demonstrated exceptional academic and professional accomplishments.

A non-profit organization, IEEE is the world’s leading professional association for the advancement of technology. Through its global membership, IEEE is a leading authority on areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics among others. Members rely on IEEE as a source of technical and professional information, resources and services. To foster an interest in the engineering profession, IEEE also serves student members in colleges and universities around the world. Other important constituencies include prospective members and organizations that purchase IEEE products and participate in conferences or other IEEE programs.

The program is designed to mold students into future executive leaders in industry by providing them with leadership training, mentoring, community service opportunities, and financial support. The two-year program provides scholarships for technical students during their junior and senior years. Students are selected based on their leadership potential, academic preparation, and financial need. In addition, students will also have an opportunity to complete a summer internship program with corporate sponsors. The program continues to improve and expand since its inception by never losing focus on our vision, mission, and core values that guide our tradition of success and excellence. Vision: We take ordinary people and transform them into extraordinary leaders that produce amazing results!

The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), with more than 35,700 members, is one of the largest student-governed organizations in the country. Founded in 1975, NSBE now includes more than 394 College, Pre-College, and Technical Professional/Alumni chapters in the United States and abroad. NSBE’s mission is "to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community." The organization is dedicated to the academic and professional success of African-American engineering students and professionals. NSBE offers its members leadership training, professional development, mentoring opportunities, career placement services and more. NSBE is comprised of 242 collegiate, 70 professional and 82 pre-college active chapters nationwide and overseas.

The goal of this team is to design and build a complete Formula-style racecar. The team has adopted three items that they will incorporate into the team: reliability - design the car withstand the highest stresses and function optimally, weight - make the lightest, most efficient vehicle possible, and ergonomics - make the car understandable to a variety of people. This program helps students to understand that design process, general business practices and helps prepare the students for team-oriented projects and goals. According to Brent Smith, a Ford Motor Company Product Development Engineer, Formula SAE has grown to become the premier collegiate design competition in North America. It is a Formula SAE team opinion that the FSAE competition is one of the greatest learning experiences in an engineer's college career.

The SIU Carbondale Moonbuggy Team is composed of a group of students who design and build a moonbuggy to enter in NASA’s Great Moonbuggy Race each spring. The competition is held at NASA’s Space and Rocket Center (the Marshall Space Flight Center) in Huntsville, Alabama. Teams race over a half-mile course in human-powered vehicles designed to meet the strict requirements of the competition. New members are always welcome.

The Society of Geologists and Mining Engineers is a member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME). The Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration is an international society of professionals in the minerals industry. The SME membership is more than 12,000 strong, with members in nearly 100 countries. A member society of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers (AIME), SME's roots date back to 1871 when a handful of mining engineers founded AIME. Since its inception, SME has continued to evolve over the years to stay abreast of industry changes and to reflect the ever-broadening interests of its members.

The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) was founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1974 by a group of engineers employed by the city of Los Angeles. Their objective was to form a national organization of professional engineers to serve as role models in the Hispanic community. The concept of Networking was the key basis for the organization. SHPE quickly established two student chapters to begin the network that would grow to encompass the nation as well as reach countries outside the United States. Today, SHPE enjoys a strong but independent network of professional and student chapters throughout the nation.

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a not-for-profit educational and service organization that empowers women to succeed and advance in the field of engineering, and to be recognized for their life-changing contributions as engineers and leaders. Founded in 1950, SWE is the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career for women through an exciting array of training and development programs, networking opportunities, scholarships, outreach and advocacy activities, and much more. Please call 312-596-5223 to learn more.

The Society was founded in 1953 to provide recognition for high standards of scholarship among students in technical colleges and universities and to engender desirable qualities of personality, intellect, and character among engineering technology students by offering membership in the society to those with outstanding records. Membership is restricted to students with averages in the top four percent in engineering technology programs. Both associates and baccalaureate degree students are eligible. Membership in Tau Alpha Pi does not conflict with membership in any local honor society. Tau Alpha Pi National Honor Society has affiliate chapters on the campuses of many of the country's leading technical colleges and universities. The society is intended to be for the engineering technology student what Phi Beta Kappa is for the arts and sciences student and what Tau Beta Pi is for the engineering science student.

Tau Beta Pi is the only engineering honor society representing the entire engineering profession. It is the nation's second-oldest honor society, founded at Lehigh University in 1885 to mark in a fitting manner those who have conferred honor upon their Alma Mater by distinguished scholarship and exemplary character as students in engineering, or by their attainments as alumni in the field of engineering, and to foster a spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges. There are now collegiate chapters at 237 US colleges and universities, active alumnus chapters in 16 districts across the country, and a total initiated membership of 521,948.

The Undergraduate Student Government represents the undergraduate student body at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in all matters pertaining to student welfare, student activities and student life. USG also voices the concerns of students in the planning and administration of the university at large. The government is divided into three separate branches to better administer the student body- the legislative, the judicial and the executive.