Diversity » Graduate » Multicultural Engineering Recuitment for Graduate Education
The Multicultural Engineering Recruitment for Graduate Education (MERGE) Program is a College of Engineering-sponsored program that brings promising graduate school prospects from diverse cultures to the campus for and expense-paid, in-depth view of the programs and facilities available for graduate study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. MERGE provides recruits an opportunity to experience the campus, learn about graduate programs, meet individually with faculty and their students, and visit the state-of-the-art facilities. The aim of the program is to convince the recruits to apply to one of the graduate programs in engineering, physics, or chemistry. MERGE is a part of the the effort by the College of Engineering to achieve diversity in its graduate programs. Represented by the 13 departments in the COE, MERGE 2005 also had participation from the Chemistry Department, Nano-CEMMS, and The WaterCAMPWS.
Participants in MERGE are overwhelmingly undergraduate seniors in engineering, physics, and chemistry. Other participants are students currently pursuing a Masters degree who are exploring Ph.D. programs, or working individuals who are planning to return to school for a graduate degree. Previous MERGE programs have hosted 434 students from 81 universities across the US and Puerto Rico.
Candidates for the MERGE program submit a group of application materials, which includes personal information with departmental and areas of research interest, an unofficial transcript, and a personal statement including previous academic work in proposed or allied fields of study, other educational experiences, teaching or relevant employment, publications, and plans for graduate study and a professional career. The MERGE Director and the appropriate department Advisor are responsible for approving the applications of the candidates.
MERGE attendees interested in learning more about The WaterCAMPWS, its research, and its faculty have an opportunity to meet individually with Center faculty and tour labs.
