BRPELS Inspires Future Engineers at Gonzaga

Gonzaga’s School of Engineering & Applied Science was honored to host BRPELS in mid-October. The Board of Registration for Professional Engineers & Land Surveyors held several committee meetings and a special board meeting on campus, taking the opportunity to connect with and encourage Spokane’s engineering students.

BRPELS is an agency of Washington state providing consumer protection through the licensing of professional engineers, land surveyors and onsite wastewater designers.

Board member Mike Harney visited two classes to discuss professional licensure and engineering ethics with first-year engineering students. He emphasized that engineers must prioritize public safety above all else, using a case study of a company’s engineering error and their corrective actions as an example. The students asked insightful questions about the path to earning their Professional Engineer (PE) license. Harney is licensed in both the U.S. and Canada, and is an Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP).

On Wednesday evening, dozens of students networked with professional engineers at the Globe Room of Cataldo. BRPELS provided pizza to the 100 students and professionals who mingled at the Meet and Greet.

Career & Professional Development provided students with advice on everything from dress to small talk, encouraging them to ask about the professionals’ specific career paths, their current roles, and for any advice they might have.

A special thank you to Jilliene McKinstry of Gonzaga’s Transmission & Distribution program for coordinating the BRPELS visit and events.