Engineering society extends hand to prospective students

Apex, Vertex, Scribe, X-Checker and Tangent. No, this is not high school geometry class -- these are the official titles given to the officers of Hexagon, a senior service society in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Hexagon alumni, current members and 25 new inductees gathered Thursday night at Associate Engineering Dean David Pope's Chestnut Hill home for a formal invitation dinner. The members of Hexagon work with the Office of Admissions and Recruiting at the Engineering School to ensure that prospective freshmen receive personal attention on their campus visit. The "customized visit," developed two years ago by the Office of Admissions, includes meeting with a faculty member and a luncheon date with a Hexagon member. Hexagon also leads tours of the Engineering School and handles mailings, phone-a-thons and focus groups geared toward prospective freshmen. Members are especially active during Penn Preview Days, a campus-wide event in mid-April designed to lure future students. Citing Hexagon's commitment to face-to-face interaction, LeAnne Bergey, recruiting and admissions coordinator for the Engineering School, said the group is Engineering's number one resource in recruiting. Pope called Hexagon the Admissions Office's "secret weapon," emphasizing that this year's increase in Engineering applications was largely a result of the organization's efforts. "People convince people to do things, not pieces of paper or buildings," Pope said. According to Engineering senior and Rush Chairperson Jake Dubroff, members of Hexagon are considered to be the "best ambassadors of the school." Hexagon membership is limited to 10 percent of Engineering's senior class. Prospective members hand in a copy of their resume and an application to be evaluated by current members, followed by an interview. About 40 students apply each year, and most learn about the society through their friends. Seniors are accepted in the fall and juniors in the spring. Members pay a one-time $75 fee to become a part of Hexagon for life. While the service aspect of Hexagon is vital to the Admissions Office, its social aspect is essential to the members. "When I came to Hexagon I had a lot of school apathy, but through Hexagon I now have an alma mater that I can be proud of," 1994 Engineering graduate Maurice Enoch said. Most members agreed that Hexagon is the outlet that promotes interaction among the more social people in Engineering. "We're the life of the Engineering School," Engineering senior Stephen Sabatino said. Social events include luncheons and barbecues at either Pope's or Engineering Associate Dean John Keenan's house, happy hours at Cavanaugh's and bowling trips. According to newly admitted Engineering junior Vinaya Valloppillil, "It's a great way to network among other students in the Engineering School on a more sociable level." Given the success of the Hexagon-Admissions partnership, admissions officers hope to take Hexagon members on the road with them to visit high schools as early as next year, according to Pope. He added that, through Hexagon, the University does not seem so "cold and forbidding" to prospective students. The students are "enveloped in a familial relationship."