The Grainger College of Engineering
Women in Engineering

FAQs

Who organizes WIE Orientation?

WIE Orientation is coordinated by staff from Women in Engineering (WIE), a college-level program housed in the Undergraduate Programs Office, dedicated to supporting the success of women engineering students at Illinois. The program includes participation from faculty and staff across Grainger Engineering and the University of Illinois to help students learn about their departments and explore career and leadership opportunities, experiential learning, and academic and wellness support resources. The planning and execution of the program involves a tremendous level of support from a team of WIE Orientation Mentors, upper-division undergraduate women engineering student leaders who are invested in new student success and building a vibrant community for women to thrive at Grainger Engineering.

Who can participate in WIE Orientation?

Any new first-year, transfer, or exchange student to The Grainger College of Engineering and to Agricultural & Biological Engineering (ABE), Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE), and CS+X majors is invited to participate. WIE Orientation supports building critical peer connections within each major and across Engineering majors.

What do students do at WIE Orientation?

The schedule for WIE Orientation is provided here.  Students can expect to

  • Build relationships with classmates, mentors, and advisors in your department.
  • Gain advice from upper division women students about classes and college life.
  • Explore new co-curricular, experiential learning, and leadership opportunities.
  • Discover academic and wellness support resources to contribute to your success.
  • Make connections through fun, team-building activities with the WIE community.

How do I register for WIE Orientation?

Students can register for orientation here.  Registration closes July 19.  We have limited capacity, so register early to reserve your spot!

WIE Orientation is offered at no charge to students, due to generous support from our corporate sponsors, Texas Instruments and Caterpillar, in addition to significant funding that is provided by the Undergraduate Programs Office in The Grainger College of Engineering. Students receive WIE-branded SWAG, meals, and access to all program activities and resources. 

WIE recommends that you elect Early Arrival on August 20 for a smoother move-in process and to get settled in before orientation and other activities during Welcome Week. It will be worth the fee to cover an extra day of room/board to avoid the huge crowds and chaos during official move-in days, to have time to settle-in early and adjust, and to be able to fully participate in value-added programs like WIE Orientation. Plus, you will receive well over a $100 value ($50+ in food/SWAG) if you participate in WIE Orientation. University Housing charges a $60 fee to your student account for room/board for Early Arrival, and fees for Private Certified Housing vary by residence. Click here for more information about Early Arrival for University Housing. For the most up-to-date information on University Housing, please refer to the housing website. You will need to inform University Housing that you will be moving in early and select a move-in time slot. This information should have been provided when your housing was confirmed. For more information about Early Arrival options for Private Certified Housing, click here.  Please note that WIE staff are not involved with housing issues, so please direct housing-related questions to staff in University Housing or to your Private Certified Housing provider. 

As a University of Illinois student, you may be frequently presented with the challenge of competing commitments. You can't be everywhere all at once, and trying to go back and forth to "do a little bit of everything" is not a recommended strategy. It creates additional problems for staff who coordinate these events, and it generally does not result in the best experience for a student!  Think carefully about the experience that will bring you the most value during Welcome Week and beyond and commit fully to it. For example, it may be easier to connect with friends in an LLC after orientation because you live together and will have ongoing opportunities to connect through LLC programming.  LLC program directors encourage students to prioritize college/department orientations over LLC orientations when there are conflicts.  WIE Orientation is designed purposefully and with care, feedback, and involvement from upper-division women students in Grainger Engineering. The program addresses core elements that we know are important to the success and wellness of women engineering students, based on research and direct feedback from our student leaders and college staff. New students will gain a strong return on their investment of time in WIE Orientation. You will making lasting friendships with students from your major and across the college through interactive sessions, get a head-start with all the best insider's tips from a committed team of student mentors, make connections with core advising staff and faculty in your department, and gain exposure to the most useful resources and recommended opportunities for women engineering students. 

I already registered to attend WIE Orientation, but I need to change something. What should I do? 

Send an email to wie@illinois.edu with your name and the change/correction, and WIE staff will make the adjustment.

Attend pre-orientation virtual group mentoring sessions offered on June 26, July 17, and Aug 7, 7:00-8:00 p.m. CDT. (Zoom links will be emailed to you if you select a virtual mentoring option in the registration form). After registration closes on July 19, you will receive an invitation to join the WIE Slack channel, where you can engage with other students and ask questions of student mentors before orientation.