If your organization is planning an event where you will be interacting with minors and/or minors will be present (both on and off-campus), please reach out to the youth compliance specialist, Ms. Rachel Evans,at rachel.evans@ufl.edu. It is important to communicate with Rachel at least 30 days before the event, as Level II background checks and event clearance may be required. Rachel will assist you in ensuring compliance with UF Youth Compliance guidelines

Mr. James Fleetwood (jfleetwood@eng.ufl.edu) is the college’s Director of Safety and Security. He can help guide your organization through any UF Environmental Health & Safety polices. This resource is relevant to organizations who have hazards associated with their work, whether it be a physical design/build space, insurance coverage with design competitions, or infrastructure needs for equipment procurement.

If you are considering hosting an overnight “hackathon” in Newell, we encourage you:

1. First meet with Dr. Furtney to discuss if an overnight event is most appropriate and meets the goals of your event
2. Complete this form, which is reviewed by the Newell Manager of Programs and Services
   1. It is preferred that requests are made at least 30 days prior to the event start date
   2. The Manager will then meet with you to go over details of event and determine feasibility
3. If your event is approved, please let Dr. Furtney know if your organization is ok with CEL photographer(s) and journalist briefly attending the event in order to capture content that can be shared in the college press releases. 

Important Notes
Fall 2025 weekend availability for reservations: 
Sep 13-14
Sep 20-21
Oct 11-12
Nov 15-16
Dec 6-7
*submitting the above request form DOES NOT guarantee that Newell can accommodate your event.

• When your event occurs during Newell standard Hours of Operation, your event will be limited to the 3^rd and 4^th floors of the building. Once the building “closes” to public access for the day, your event can then use all floors.
• The 1^st and 3^rd floors have furniture options conducive for group work, while the 2nd and 4th floors have many individual stations and workpods. 
• Other event details will be covered when you meet with the Newell Manger of Programs and Services. 
• It all comes down to safety and courtesy! It is expected your organization has details and plans to ensure safety of all event participants and that this great campus resource is respected. 

This link can be used to request reservations for the AI Lab: https://www.eng.ufl.edu/facilities/service-requests/facility-reservation-form/

Once you start filling in the fields it will allow you to select the AI lab.

Here are the room policies: https://www.eng.ufl.edu/facilities/wp-content/uploads/sites/225/2024/12/AI-Lab-Policy.pdf

Many UF units including the Herbert Wertheim Collge of Engineering and the various engineering departments have their own social media accounts. We encourage you to tag all relevant accounts in your posts, to boost your visibility and for engineering Marketing & Communication to easily share UF engineering experiences with a broad audience. 

The college and the center want to know when your organization does something great! Whether it’s hosting a large event, competing in a competition, or receiving a grant (for example). Submit this form through the college’s Marketing & Communications. Either a member of MarCom or the center will follow up with additional questions, with the goal of sharing your organization’s great work through social media. 

Complete this form, preferably on a laptop/desktop (not smartphone). If you do not see your organization added to the CEL list within 1 week, please send an email to the CEL Associate Director. 

The New Student Welcome is the college’s premier event for encouraging and engaging our newly admitted freshman engineers. It typically takes place in early Fall semester and is held in JWRU Grand Ballroom with an attendance of 1,000+ students.

This expo-style event provides an opportunity to showcase student groups and design teams. Your group will have access to its own display table with two chairs (members of the organization will be required to staff the display table throughout the duration of the event). You are welcome to bring flyers, tri-posters, electronic display presentations, giveaways, etc. Organization reps may begin arriving early are are expected to have setup completed before the official event start time. Your team can also submit special requests (shared tables, electrical outlets) in your tabling RSVP. 

Here are some pictures from the 2024 event to give you a feel for what to expect. 

This event is coordinated by Dr. Janna Underhill (janna@eng.ufl.edu) and Yolanda Hankerson (yhank@ufl.edu ). 

Not required, but consider different levels of corporate engagement that correspond to varying amounts of sponsorship. For example, we have seen organizations use tiers such as gold, silver, and bronze level commitments for corporate sponsorship. That being said, be flexible with potential corporate sponsors! Maybe they have an event or partnership in mind that doesn’t neatly fit into your tier framework.

It is best practice to create an end-of-year summary or report of your efforts and send this product to your sponsors, so they can see how their contributions impacted your organization’s success. By “closing the loop”, you will be more likely to receive recurring contributions from the corporation. The CEL Director and Associate Director can provide feedback on your organization’s report before you send it out. 

The Center for Experiential Learning has just-in-time funding to support unexpected opportunities. Unexpected or unanticipated opportunities are items that have not been budgeted into your yearly operational funds. Some examples include (and are not limited to):

• invited presentations at conferences that showcase your organization’s work
• a new design competition or design competition that your organization now qualifies to participate in
• you are piloting a new event

If you are considering applying but are not sure if your opportunity qualifies, please contact the CEL Director. This application will remain open all year and funds will be disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, EWeek is dedicated to ensuring a well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers.

Today, EWeek is a formal coalition of more than 70 engineering, education, and cultural societies, and more than 50 corporations and government agencies. Dedicated to raising public awareness of engineers’ positive contributions to quality of life, EWeek promotes recognition among parents, teachers, and students of the importance of a technical education and a high level of math, science, and technology literacy, and motivates youth, to pursue engineering careers in order to provide a diverse and vigorous engineering workforce. Each year, EWeek reaches thousands of schools, businesses, and community groups across the U.S.

College will host a K-12 outreach event during 2026 EWeek where student organizations will have hands-on activities that align with their organization’s mission and technical expertise. CEL can provide organizations with additional funding intended for background checks, supplies & materials expenses that will elevate the hands-on experience for the K-12 participants.

Yes, you can reserve the prototyping facility for a skills / equipment workshop! Please contact Dr. Sarah Furtney to brainstorm event logistics such as format, scheduling, and intended participants.