P-12 Outreach - Exploring a School of Architecture's Efforts to Engage the Early Education Community

摘要

It all comes back to that age old question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" The answers run the gamut but usually contain, "Architect!" However, architecture schools find themselves struggling with enrollment and retention as much as any other field. To combat this problem, the School of Architecture at Oklahoma State University developed a variety of outreach programs targeting elementary through high school age students and focused on a variety of architectural topics including: architecture, architectural engineering, landscape architecture, and construction management. These programs provide students practical application on various levels and spark interest in the profession. The school participates in three outreach programs geared toward elementary and middle school students, and two programs offered to high school students interested in architecture or architectural engineering. These programs are ongoing in some capacity and have been offered for various amounts of time since the early 2000s. This paper will be two-part. The first will highlight each community outreach program the school offers. The second will summarize a survey of the school's current students. The survey will cover students' exposure to the school's programs and any subsequent impact on their career choices. It will also poll the students on any P-12 exposure to architecture or architectural engineering they may have experienced.