Terri-Jane Yuzda











National Engineering Week
Takes Root at U of A




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BY RYAN B. LAWRENCE
University of Alberta
Student Contributor

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Pie on Ya
APEGGA President Ron Tenove, P.Eng., takes
one in the face for the cause.

The first of their kind at the University of Alberta, celebratory activities took place to observe National Engineering Week March 1-9. Not to be confused with the annual engineering clubs' competition, held the second week back from Christmas, this engineering week focused on, charity, employment opportunities and general engineering awareness.

Activities of the week included multiple first-year nights explaining available second year programs, an APEGGA tech mixer, a mechanical engineering project display, an Engineers Without Borders awareness day and the National p Throw, 2003.

National Throw 2003
Throwing pies at your best friends, your professors, and even your employers to raise money for charity is by no means a new initiative, but this is the first year for its occurrence here at the U of A. Now a new initiative of the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students to see this become a national event, the pie throw raises money for local charities and increases engineering pride - as you cover your friends with whipped cream.

During a trip to the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students Congress held in January, Wade Penner, Engineering Students' Society events coordinator, learned of the benefits and successes that the pie throw event earned at other universities, such as the University of Calgary and the University of Victoria. Seeing an annual event in the making, ESS and the Faculty of Engineering teamed up to bring the National Throw to the U of A.

The general idea was, if you wanted to send a pie to someone, a donation of $10 was required. Then, the recipient was told who sent the pie and was given four choices: take the pie in the face for free; buy the pie for p3 dollars (about $31); redirect the pie to someone else for $10; or choose not to participate, as it was a volunteer event.

With about 40 people getting a pie in the face, 50 pies bought, and 50 pies redirected, a total more than $1,000 was raised for charity. This year, the money went to Habitat for Humanity Edmonton, which helps needy families build their own homes with volunteer labour and donated money and materials.

U of A engineering students can be proud because around half of the total amount of money raised was from student involvement. Two corporate entities also took part in this event: Focus Corporation and the downtown Edmonton APEGGA office.

Among those who received a pie in the face were Wade Penner, lead organizer of the pie throw, Kyle Kasawski, U of A recruitment and student liaison officer, and Ron Tenove, P.Eng., president of APEGGA and also an executive with Focus.

When asked what some expectations were for next year, Mr. Penner explained to me that organizers want more involvement from local companies. "We're looking to triple the amount raised at least."

This year's results of the national pie throw have proven promising, and so next year you better look out because the pie throw will be coming to a business near you.

Engineers Without Borders Awareness Day
Engineers Without Borders, which exists to help people in developing communities gain access to technologies that will improve their lives, held an awareness day during National Engineering Week. One of the main events was Kangaroo Kourt, held in the Students' Union Building.

Two cases were reviewed, each prosecuting a student and looking into the resource wastefulness in the average Canadian's life. The first dipped into the impact that each person has on the environment, his or her "ecological footprint."

Though the student was found not guilty, each Canadian was charged with over-consuming this world's short supply of natural resources. This case delivered a pointed message of Canada's need to find more efficient ways of using our quickly depleting natural resources.

The second case was similar in its message, declaring the need for Canadians to be more prudent in their consumption of water.



MORE INFO

Videos of pie victims
www.ess.ualberta.ca/pithrow


Information on Habitat for Humanity Edmonton

www.HFH.org


Information on Engineers Without Borders
www.ualberta.ca/~ewbuofa/



 

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