Being an Engineer is a lot more than a job. Engineers are responsible for health, safety, and welfare of the public. You should be proud of this opportunity to serve the public. However, it comes with responsibility. In order to remind us about our obligation and our responsibilities to the public and to the profession, Order of The Engineer, an independent organization, started a tradition for engineers to take a pledge to uphold the standards and dignity of our profession. The pledge is symbolized by wearing a stainless-steel ring on the fifth (little) finger of your working hand. There are no annual dues to be a part of this organization. The Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering has organized the ceremony for you all to take this pledge as you enter the profession as engineers. This is a rare and once in a life-time opportunity to participate in this ceremony.
The ceremony is only available for ABE, CE, EE, and ME graduates, and is held immediately follow Graduation in the VBR. During the ceremony, you will take the pledge and receive your Engineer’s Ring. It is a formal ceremony. You should invite your parents, family, and friends to the ceremony so that they can witness you being honored with the ring. This truly is rare occasion.
The entire ceremony and luncheon typically last about an hour and half. The cost for you to participate in this ceremony is $45, which includes the cost of the ring, one-time fee of $15 to the national organization to register, and the meal. Cost for the guests is $20.00 per person, just to cover the cost of the meal
History of the Order of the Engineer
The Order of the Engineer was initiated in the United States to foster a spirit of pride and responsibility in the engineering profession, to bridge the gap between training and experience, and to present to the public a visible symbol identifying the engineer.
The first ceremony was held on June 4, 1970 at Cleveland State University. Since then, similar ceremonies have been held across the United States at which graduate and registered engineers are invited to accept the Obligation of the Engineer and a stainless steel ring. The ceremonies are conducted by Links (local sections) of the Order.
The Order is not a membership organization; there are never any meetings to attend or dues to pay. Instead, the Order fosters a unity of purpose and the honoring of one’s pledge lifelong.
The Obligation is a creed similar to the oath attributed to Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) that is generally taken by medical graduates and which sets forth an ethical code. The Obligation likewise, contains parts of the Canon of Ethics of major engineering societies. Initiates, as they accept it voluntarily, pledge to uphold the standards and dignity of the engineering profession and to serve humanity by making the best use of Earth’s precious wealth.
The Obligation of the Order of the Engineer is similar to the Canadian “Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer” initiated there in 1926. It uses a wrought iron ring, conducts a secret ceremony, and administers an oath authorized by Rudyard Kipling. The extension of the Ritual outside Canada was prevented by copyright and other conflicting factors. The basic premise, however, was adapted for the creation of the Order of the Engineer in the United States in 1970.
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