When it comes to finding future Spartan Engineers, Drew Kim is who the College of Engineering turns to.
Kim has worked for Michigan State University for more than 30 years. He started his journey in college student affairs, where he stayed for 10 years. His propensity for interacting with prospective students led to an opportunity within the college diversity program team.
Then came his chance to lead the college’s undergraduate recruiting and admissions efforts including managing the scholarship committee’s distribution of endowments for freshmen and transfer students. Today, he is the assistant to the dean for Future Spartan Engineers.
Future Spartan Engineers is how the college connects to prospective undergraduate students nationally and abroad. The program assists students who are heading to college from high school, transferring from other colleges, or exploring engineering and computer science during their K-12 years.
“Since I started 33 years ago, our interactions with prospective students have really evolved,” Kim said. “Today, we have an incredible team of individuals helping prospective students learn about our college and our degree programs as well as decide if MSU is a good fit for them.”
In addition to a full-time staff, there are 30 to 40 undergraduate engineering student ambassadors who are available to talk with prospective students year-round.
Kim and the Future Spartan Engineers team travel throughout Michigan, across the United States, and internationally. This includes college fairs at high schools and community colleges, where they meet with and provide information to prospective students and their families. International recruiting focuses on Asia, particularly Vietnam, Taiwan, and South Korea.
“We’ve found over the years that many students and families are not only looking for universities, but they also want someone to talk to about the major they’re interested in pursuing,” Kim said.
Kim and his recruiting team support numerous outreach events, including the camps and programs for K-12 students that offer residential and commuter options during the summer months. Through these programs, students engage in activities that utilize math, science, problem-solving, and creativity to address real-world challenges, preparing them for future careers in engineering and computer science.
“It’s important for us to engage with students and their families early, help them get their questions answered, and let them know we will take care of them if they head to Michigan State,” said Kim.
Written by Maggie Dillon, student writer and public relations assistant in the MSU College of Engineering Marketing and Communications office.
College of Engineering Media and Public Relations page