The NCEES Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. It is committed to supporting programs that further the NCEES mission to advance licensure for engineers and surveyors in order to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
Learn more about the 2024–25 funded projects.
Project: K-12 STEM Outreach Competitions
The Boston Society of Civil Engineers has been running a K–12 STEM outreach program for students of all ages for 35 years, and because both the sizes of the programs and the associated expenses continue to grow, we are extremely grateful for NCEES and its funding of our three competitions: the Model Bridge Contest, the Future City Competition’s Grades 6-8 New England Regional Competitions, and the new Future City High School Competition. For the Model Bridge Contest, we are hard at work designing a new loading device to replace the one we have used since 1992, and we are also busy writing new rules for our subcategory prizes in that competition. For Future City Middle School, we have started ramping up our western New England competition, which we initiated last year, to the advanced level of our eastern New England competition. For Future City High School, this is our first year participating, and we anticipate pulling together 18 teams of students from all over New England.
Project: Student Success Career Development Program
The Student Success Career Development program offers Chicago students access to a variety of professional development activities that are focused on careers in the engineering sector. A mix of in-person and virtual opportunities are available for high school and college students, youth groups, and classrooms, offering materials and experiences that help develop and increase STEM inspiration, encourage students to start building their professional presence, and provide resources for students to achieve success in their college and career goals. Career-focused activities include mentoring, peer/professional networking, workshops, workplace tours, mid-academic year care packages, resume and LinkedIn profile development, online resources, interview preparation, and assistance with internship placements.
Project: STEM Programming for Rural K-12 Students
Students in rural areas often lack access to STEM education and STEM structured extracurricular activities, resulting in students not pursuing further education or careers in STEM fields. The Engineers’ Foundation of Kansas (EFK) project will support STEM and gifted educators in rural areas of Kansas with improved access to STEM materials, direct professional mentors, and monetary support to establish STEM teams to participate in Future City and MATHCOUNTS competitions. The funding will allow EFK to support middle school students by providing financial support to three teams to procure materials and attend the Future City Regional Competition and four MATHCOUNTS teams to participate in the chapter competition and receive a subscription to the online problem library for competition preparation. The funding will also supply two elementary classes access to hands-on learning materials from FIRST LEGO League to start exploring STEM at an early age.
Project: Integrating Professional Licensure Awareness Through Industry-Academic Partnership
The Florida Atlantic University Civil, Environmental, and Geomatics Engineering Department proposed a project to enhance professional licensure awareness through industry-academic partnerships. The initiative includes a workshop on emerging technologies and policy changes plus an educational video series, targeting over 100 workshop attendees and 5,000+ video views. Led by Dr. Hongbo Su and Dr. Fred Bloetscher, the project aims to increase licensure rates among students and early-career professionals. Success will be measured through surveys, licensure application tracking, and video engagement metrics to demonstrate long-term impact on professional development in engineering and surveying.
Project: Assistance for Chapter Members to Complete the Licensure Process
Breaking Barriers to Engineering Licensure is a targeted initiative designed to increase the number of Black engineers and surveyors achieving licensure by removing financial, logistical, and preparation barriers. Through this program, participants will receive direct exam fee assistance, access to NCEES-aligned prep workshops, and personalized mentorship. All services are provided free of charge to ensure accessibility and equity. The program is designed to accelerate the path to certification through structured support, community engagement, and professional development. Ultimately, Breaking Barriers to Engineering Licensure strengthens the pipeline of licensed Black professionals and advances equity in the engineering and surveying fields.
Project: We SEE Above & Beyond
The NCSEA Foundation is launching a new K–12 education program as part of its We SEE Above & Beyond campaign. This pilot initiative is designed to support our state Structural Engineers Associations (SEAs) by promoting the structural engineering profession and the importance of licensure within their communities and among students across all grade levels.
The program will kick off with a pilot phase featuring hands-on, educational toolkits developed by a structural designer. Using fun, interactive materials like Play-Doh, LEGOs, and Mola structural models, these toolkits are designed to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation to consider a future in structural engineering through engaging, play-based learning. Additionally, the program equips state SEAs with an advocacy toolkit to raise awareness about the importance of structural engineering licensure.
Project: Licensure Promotion to Students and Teachers
The project involves updating current materials and technology that are used at the North Carolina Society of Surveyors Education Foundation booth when attending career fairs and conferences. It will include the purchase of a Topobox Augmented Reality Sandbox, which will provide attendees a hands-on experience that explores what a topographic map is, how a topographic is made, and the impact of a topographic change on the flow of water and landslides.
A cargo trailer will be used to store and transport the Topobox Augmented Reality Sandbox. An image that promotes licensure will be used on the cargo trailer and will be visible to the public as it is driven to events. The cargo trailer will store and transport booth items, including the Topobox Augmented Reality Sandbox.
Project: Fundamentals of Engineering: The First Step on the Path to Licensure
The Pennsylvania Engineering Foundation’s (PEF) “Take the FE Exam” grant program is a strategic initiative designed to bolster the number of licensed engineers in Pennsylvania. This program, a collaboration between PEF, universities, and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, offers vital support and financial aid to engineering students. Specifically, it subsidizes the costs of the Fundamentals of Engineering exam registration and crucial study materials. By alleviating these financial burdens, the program strives to streamline the path to professional licensure, ultimately fostering a stronger licensed engineering workforce for the Commonwealth.
Project: Promoting Land Surveying as a Career
The Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon (PLSO) is launching a series of initiatives designed to strengthen the pipeline into the land surveying profession. A key priority is the development of a Job Shadow and Internship Playbook aimed at helping small firms establish impactful workforce development programs that foster hands-on learning and build pathways to future licensure. Other initiatives include a revitalized Scout Badge Field Day, offering youth the opportunity to engage with technology-driven surveying requirements, and Geomatics Open Houses at Oregon State University and Oregon Tech to attract freshmen and sophomores considering career paths in surveying. Additionally, a Veterans Outreach Program, in collaboration with the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying (OSBEELS) and the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, will highlight land surveying as a valuable post-service career. PLSO will also host Chapter Open Houses across Oregon, providing local surveyors with an opportunity to connect with the public just ahead of the summer hiring season. Both PLSO and OSBEELS are committed to delivering economic value and making a lasting workforce impact through shared investments of time, resources, and expertise.
Project: Civil Engineering Student Recruitment and Retention Initiative
This multi-year project aims to double civil engineering enrollment at the University of Alaska Anchorage within five years by increasing interest among high school students in Alaska through marketing, outreach, and scholarships. Marketing efforts will include video and text-based social media ads, flyers, and classroom visits by industry professionals. Outreach will include participation in various educational and recruiting events, many utilizing a new interactive Augmented Reality “Sand Table” to engage students in a hands-on activity, as well as continuation of an after-school class that introduces high school students to civil engineering. Scholarships will be awarded annually to high performing incoming freshmen to encourage them to remain in-state and study civil engineering. This initiative supports expanded exposure to civil engineering, fosters industry connections, and addresses declining enrollment in an area with high demand.
Project: Library of Surveying and Mapping Hands-on Activities for K-12 Camps and Classrooms
The project Library of Surveying and Mapping Hands-on Activities for K–12 Camps and Classrooms aims to increase awareness and interest in surveying among K–12 youth in Florida by creating a lending library of pre-designed, hands-on educational activities related to surveying concepts. The project will develop and provide identical sets of equipment and resources at multiple locations across the state to maximize reach. By leveraging existing relationships with teachers, Extension 4-H educators, partners in the surveying industry, and other youth-serving educational programs, the lending library will be promoted statewide, with additional support and training being provided for educators.
Project: Summer Engineering Exploration Kamp
The Summer Engineering Exploration Kamp (SEEK), hosted by the University of Kentucky’s Department of Civil Engineering, is a one-week residential camp for rising high school seniors. Held on the University of Kentucky’s campus, SEEK aims to inspire students to pursue civil engineering through academic instruction, hands-on projects, and mentorship. Participants engage with practicing engineers from regional firms and government agencies, visit active project sites, and connect with current civil engineering students. SEEK provides a comprehensive experience that blends learning, real-world exposure, and guidance to foster interest in civil engineering and support the development of future professionals in the field.
Project: Assistance for Working Surveyors to Continue Their Surveying Education
The University of Maine has more than 400 surveying engineering technology students (online.umaine.edu/surveying) across several degree and certificate undergrad/graduate programs. As of March 2025, 45 states are represented, and 96 percent of the students are online because they are remote to Maine and working. The working student (often with family) obviously has economic limits that sometimes make finishing a degree impossible. Thus, their true goal toward licensure can be ended by economic constraints, and the dropout rate is often as high as 30 students per semester. This Foundation award will provide one hundred $1,000 scholarships to deserving undergraduate students whose path to licensure requires the education they are seeking.
