Timeline
1993
The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering (HWCOE) began offering summer bridge programming for first-year students, with a focus on student retention and academic success.
1994
A residential component was added to enhance attendance, increase mentoring, build stronger student cohorts, and improve tracking and support.
1995
The program was officially named STEPUP (Successful Transition and Enhanced Preparation for Undergraduates Program). It combined a summer residential experience with a fall/spring non-residential component, offering year-round support for first-year engineering students.
1995 – Present
For over 30 years, STEPUP has helped incoming engineering students transition into the HWCOE through advanced academic and professional preparation—and by building a lasting community of engineering peers.
In Memory of Founder, Dr. Jonathon F.K. Earle
Dr. Earle, we thank you on behalf of all the lives you lovingly touched—students, staff, and future engineers who found their path because of your mentoring, wisdom, encouragement, and unwavering belief in them. Your vision and leadership changed our lives, and we are forever grateful for this.
What began as a bold vision to uplift and retain first-year engineering students has blossomed into a transformative legacy that continues to shape the lives of our engineering students today. You didn’t simply create an office or a program; you created a movement grounded in academic rigor, mentorship, excellence, and love. Your work and dedication have helped establish an ecosystem of student support where they can thrive and grow, not just academically but holistically.
Your true legacy is written in the hearts and lives of the people you changed, the barriers you helped dismantle, and the hope you instilled in all of us. You will always be remembered as a distinguished leader and father figure within the college, whose former mentorship is still planting seeds that continue to flourish worldwide.
May your soul rest in eternal peace, and your vision of excellence, and unyielding belief in the potential of every student, live on forever in all that we do. Thank you, Dr. Earle. Your race was run with honor, your faith remained unshaken, and your impact is everlasting!