The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District hosted 58 high school students participating in the 2024 Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program and their instructors, at McAlpine Locks and Dam in Louisville, Kentucky, July 3.
Scholars in engineering-focused areas came from two of the three current GSP campuses- Morehead State University and Centre College- to participate in the field trip to McAlpine Locks and Dam. The Louisville District has been hosting scholars from GSP since the early 2000s and has hosted scholars at various project sites over the years including Fort Knox, Taylorsville Lake, William H. Harsha Lake, and McAlpine Locks and Dam.
“Getting to participate in this design exercise with outstanding high school students from all over Kentucky is something I look forward to every year,” said Steve Thibaudeau, chief of the Louisville District Civil Design Section in Engineering Division.
According to the Governor’s Scholars Program website, this program is a five-week summer residential program for high school students in Kentucky who are rising seniors. The program originated in 1983 because Kentucky leaders were concerned that the state’s “best and brightest” were leaving the Commonwealth to pursue educational and career opportunities elsewhere without fully understanding the potential of their talents at home.
“As a GSP alum, I’m excited to share all the great things USACE and the Louisville District are working on and let them know about all the career opportunities we have available to them,” Thibaudeau said. “Kentucky GSP is a great program for USACE to partner with as we look for talented students interested in becoming engineers to help accomplish our mission.”
The Louisville District also partnered with the Society of American Military Engineers for the event.
SAME is a professional organization of approximately 30,000 architects, engineers, constructors, consultants and suppliers of engineering products. Its members lead the collaboration between government and industry to solve national infrastructure challenges. The SAME Kentuckiana Post also provides multiple substantial scholarship opportunities to students pursuing degrees in engineering or architectural accredited programs.
“SAME Kentuckiana Post is proud to support these students and their interest in the architectural/engineering profession,” said Marilyn Lewis, SAME member and former chief of the Engineering Division for the Louisville District. “Our hope is that this early introduction to the creativity, innovations, and problem-solving challenges of the profession will pique their interest in pursuing a career that will benefit society by improving the physical world around us.”
The day’s activities started with presentations about USACE and SAME, the importance of locks and dams on the Ohio River, a briefing on the McAlpine Locks and Dam at the visitor’s center, and outdoor surveying exercises using levels and laser rangefinders.
Scholars also participated in a site visit to Sand Island near the McAlpine facility before “designing” a roadway, bridge, a new nature center, or parking lot for the area as part of a practical exercise.
Students said they enjoyed the hands-on activities and the practical introduction to the engineering design process helped them see their futures more clearly.
“This has opened my eyes to a lot of opportunities to explore civil engineering in different areas,” said Gabriel Turner, an attendee from Trinity High School, when asked how learning more about the Army Corps of Engineers has influenced his decision to continue an engineering education. “Civil engineering would be a really cool option for my STEM career.”