Steve Brady is the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and oversees a wide variety of operations at the institute, which includes fundraising, alumni affairs, and corporate and foundation giving. In an interview with the Free Press Journal, Mr. Steve Brady talks about what Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology has to offer to Indian students, alumni, students associations’, studying in Indiana, and much more :
What is the structure of Rose-Hulman institute when it comes to faculty: student ratio, courses, etc?
The curriculum at RHIT concentrates on engineering and the natural sciences. The school's primary focus is undergraduate education, though there is a small graduate program for master's degree students. There are no doctoral programs as of now. We do have the advantage of maintaining a good faculty and student ratio with more than 2100 students and 200 faculty members. There are usually less than 20 students in a single class thus helping us create a balanced environment in the classrooms. Rose-Hulman’s campus, which is about 1000 acres at the edge of town, is in a primarily residential setting with students also having accommodation facilities and is very safe. Almost 15% of our student population comprises international students, from 11 different countries.
2. Are Indian and international students showcasing interest in joining Rose-Hulman to complete their studies?
Currently, we have 30-35 Indian students in the institution as freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior students, especially from cities such as Mumbai and Bangalore. There have been many students from India who have graduated from Rose-Hulman since the 90s. We are still in touch with a lot of our Indian alumni members and have created a community around them in India. We see a lot of opportunities for Indian students in the coming years at Rose-Hulman.
There has always been a trend in American institutions of students from China joining the ranks, which due to the current political climate has led to some decrease in engagement and Indian students can close the gap due to the calibre of students that come from this country. Most of our international students are females and around 40% of the female student population at our institution can avail of financial support. Students from Central America, Canada, Malaysia, China, Japan, and Eastern and Western Europe join our institution.
We are soon planning to return to India and visit cities such as Coimbatore, Bangalore, Delhi, and Chennai during September and October to meet with alumni, prospective students, and their parents. At the end of the day, our goal is to make students, domestic and international, get out of Rose successfully. We want to make sure that your issues with visas, additional orientation, etc, can also be looked into by the institution. Even during my time here in Mumbai, we have taken into consideration the suggestions of parents of students who might be frustrated about something so that we can fix them soon.
3. Why is there more focus on undergraduate studies for the time being at Rose-Hulman?
In the class of 2021 - 99% of placements were conducted, wherein students were able to land employment opportunities in top companies. When students want to achieve that kind of success, it’s more or less because parents want to invest that type of resources since they want their children to excel. Because we have been ranked as one of the best institutions for undergraduate studies by none other than the U.S. News, we want to make sure that standing is maintained.
Though there are discussions on conducting postgraduate courses, faculty engagement is key to undergraduate courses. We want students in our labs and classrooms, to get the best experience out of the available resources. Rose is also classified among the "Special Focus Four-Year: Engineering and Other Technology-Related Schools,” as it offers around 20 majors in engineering and science courses. We recently added Design Engineering as in the field of Engineering as in creating a solution you need different aspects of the same.
4. What sort of financial aid or scholarships can students avail at Rose-Hulman?
Rose has multiple types of financial aid and loans for its students. Because we have such a vibrant alumni association, oftentimes they are also our donors who are interested in supporting students throughout their education journey. One of the scholarships is Noblitt Scholars Program which is a four-year invitation-only program for students with a passion to make a positive impact on the world.
The programme requires its participants to choose a topic that interests or concerns them, such as social justice, infrastructure, or sustainability. They will delve extensively into their chosen field while working with a faculty mentor to develop their knowledge and comprehension of the relevant background. Each year of the four-year curriculum, they will formally give their reflections on what they have learned, mastered, and discovered to show their growth.
Every Noblitt Scholar will also receive financial support, including improved scholarships that cover the cost of tuition in full. We have about 100 students availing of the programme, with two Indian students in the mix as well. Applicants can apply for the programmes we provide in December, with some top 200 applications getting accepted. To know more students can go to the link https://www.rose-hulman.edu/admissions-and-aid/financial-aid/scholarships-and-grants.
5. What sort of extracurricular or non-academic activities can students take part in at Rose?
Rose has some 90 different student organisations on the campus. We initiated the Rocket Club two years ago and have achieved several impressive accomplishments. The group’s workspace went from two benches and 52 square feet to a designated space in Branam Innovation Center. They established connections with Rose alumni working in the aerospace field and were strong competitors in NASA’s 2022 Student Launch project. Students of Indian origin are also a valuable part of the club. We also have multiple student associations, which include the South Asian students association. In Engineering, if you can’t communicate properly, you won’t be able to pitch your ideas which is why we also offer leadership opportunities to students. A badminton club is in the works because we have a significant Asian student population, and it is a popular sport in the continent.
We have an Anime club on the campus due to the popularity of the genre. Our VP of academic affairs, Dr. Rick Stamper, also wants to ensure that students get the best, most all-around experience at the campus. The Rose Thorn, a student-run newspaper that is independently sponsored and focuses on campus news, covers the school. The Rose Tech Radio Club, an amateur radio organisation at Rose-Hulman, operates a specialised on-campus station under the call sign W9NAA. Student-directed short films are also produced by the Rose-Hulman Film Club.
6. How can the state of Indiana appeal to international students?
Terre Haute, where the Rose-Hulman campus is situated, is an hour away from Indiana’s capital Indianapolis where you can have an actual American experience. New York and California are amazing places and have always been popular with international students but when you are in a smaller state you can have the freedom and at the same time stay focused on your academics. Because the parents of our students invest so much in their education, we try to ensure that the goal is outstanding education while at the same time providing them with the country experience for which the state of Indiana is the best. Students often go to nearby cities such as Miami and Chicago for breaks, which are good getaways for them.
7. Is Rose-Hulman interested in partnering with Indian institutions, in light of policy changes through NEP 2020?
We already have partner institutions in Japan and Germany, and there’s no reason why India can’t be on that radar. Partnering with Indian institutions will be a good experience for US students and Indian students alike as they can learn so much from each other’s countries and cultural happenings. A global perspective on education is important. When I see hi-tech cities such as Bangalore, it impresses me with the opportunities they can offer to our students.
