Harrisburg University of Science and Technology is a private STEM-centered educational institute in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, founded in 2001. Commonly known as Harrisburg University (HU), the institute was started to address the need of Pennsylvania’s Capital Region for increased educational opportunities in applied science and technology-related fields. In 2005, HU was chartered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and later accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in 2009.
“Our vision at HU is to provide academic programs at undergraduate and graduate levels for a diversity of learners, using student-centered, technologically advanced, and experiential learning designs that emphasize student success, with a sharp focus on specific interdisciplinary competencies and strong linkages to career development,” reveals Dr. Eric Darr, President at HU.
What Makes HU the Preferred Destination for STEM Education?
HU provides an exceptional and affordable STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education for diverse student learners. By integrating experiential learning with business mentors and internships, HU educates career-minded individuals in nationally critical STEM careers, preparing them to succeed in the 21st-century knowledge-based economy.
With nearly 7,000 students from 102 countries, HU truly stands upon the pillars of progressiveness, excellence, and diversity. Thanks to these attributes, HU was recently named the #1 STEM University in the U.S. for the fourth consecutive year by Corporate Live Wire.
A Talented Team of Professors & Corporate Faculty
HU has a team of expert professionals with a wealth of knowledge and skills in their respective fields. They are known for playing multifaceted roles of researchers, authors, inventors, and questioners of what’s known and what could be.
The HU faculty also actively find and construct meaningful academic and research programs in science and technology for their students that respond to local and global market needs. Students, in turn, develop critical thinking, analytical reasoning, creativity, strong communication skills, innovative mindset, and intellectual curiosity necessary for a successful STEM career.
Innovative & Experiential Learning Based Curriculum
A culture of inquiry and innovation being its mantra, HU’s experiential learning program and research give students the ability to contribute and help discover breakthroughs. This is because, unlike most schools, graduates and undergraduates at HU must tackle at least one experiential learning course and a hands-on applied project in their field before they graduate. Undergraduates must also complete an internship before earning their degrees.
As a result, HU’s graduates compete on a level playing field with seasoned job applicants because they have hands-on experience and deep subject expertise that employers look for in their future employees.
Encouraging & Supporting Student Entrepreneurship
HU’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) allows students to innovate and flesh out their innovative business ideas and projects that touch and change lives. One of the most popular programs of the CIE is the launchU “Shark Tank” style competition that allows students and others to showcase and get their great business ideas off the ground.
Likewise, HU is home to numerous centers and institutes that allow its students to conduct ground-breaking research while providing experiential opportunities for students across a broad range of interests, issues, and industries. Moreover, students and faculty work alongside government organizations and businesses to find solutions to real-world problems.
A Center For Ground-Breaking Research
Since the beginning, HU has been a center for powerful research where imagination and science merge to incubate ideas and perform life-changing breakthroughs. Whether it involves the development of an early-stage dementia detection tool, breaking down the cause of addictive behaviors, or the discovery of a previously unknown meteor strike and dinosaur species, HU encourages professors to harness their passions and team up with students to launch breakthrough research projects that are changing the world around us. Owing to this, research at HU leads to new technologies, commercial products, processes, intellectual properties, and a lot more.
Extensive Scholarship Programs
“At HU, we pride ourselves on providing students from historically underserved communities from around the world with an unmatched affordable private college education focused on the STEM fields,” shares HU’s President, Dr. Eric Darr. The University offers one of the lowest private university tuitions in the entire state of Pennsylvania. But offering an affordable price is only part of what HU does to make attending college financially attractive.
In addition, HU also offers merit scholarships up to full tuition and need-based grants up to full tuition, privately funded scholarships, low-interest loans, and work-study opportunities that allow students to earn money while they attend college.
A Lively Campus Thriving with Opportunities
The HU campus is located in the heart of the beautiful capital city of Pennsylvania. From vast dining options to diverse and exciting entertainment venues, including theatres, museums, and professional sports fields, the HU campus is thriving with numerous opportunities for internships, jobs, housing, and entertainment just waiting to be explored. The campus houses a state-of-the-art academic center, along with a second downtown education tower, which is expected to be completed by January of 2023.
Besides its culturally diverse and vibrant community, HU also provides high-quality, affordable undergraduate student housing and residence life services through its partners. Moreover, students are encouraged to get involved in organizations, clubs, interest groups, and sports groups to build skills that can be used in the long run. If students do not see anything of interest in the current groups on campus, they can take the initiative to start a new group on campus too. Concerning extra-curricular activities, HU hosts a wide variety of music concerts, lectures, workshops, summits, and more. As a result, students from around the globe come to HU to broaden their knowledge, expand their horizons, explore the unknown, nurture their ideas, and grow into leaders.
International Student Testimonials
Rishabh Agarwal from New Delhi, India, chose to pursue an M.S in Computer Information Sciences from HU because of its strong computer science graduate program designed per the current industry standards. The program gave him hands-on experience with various technologies that further helped him to grow in his job. He, therefore, highly recommends HU to those who want to learn and stand out from the crowd.
Another student, Manisha Anugu, said she chose to pursue her graduate degree at HU because of its wide range of programs and also because HU offers online classes. Pushpinder Miglani from New Delhi, India, who graduated in December 2020, recommends HU because of the great faculty and very nice campus.
Overcoming the Pandemic Times
Since many courses in the STEM fields include lab or field classes, the professors converted experiential learning, a key component of HU education experience, to virtual experiences at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, HU was already delivering its graduate programs in a hybrid format, so the transition from classroom to online classes was smooth. Moreover, HU’s student services introduced a Virtual Student Union (VSU) portal where students could find resources and services and raise academic queries online.
As far as international student mobility is concerned, under the continuing but temporary federal guidelines, students still need to be monitored (e.g., attendance taken and verified), show academic progress (through their work), and maintain their full-time course load. An international student studying at HU will maintain their visa status and be allowed to remain in the US to study and work if the student continues to attend and fully participate in classes.
Forthcoming Plans
In the post-pandemic world, HU will continue to function as the best STEM university in the U.S. Right from harnessing the University’s 3D printers to conducting research, lending expertise, facilities, and more, HU will remain committed to its core educational mission and aspires to become a world-class university in the future.
For More Info: https://www.harrisburgu.edu/