About E-Day
On May 26, 1921, the University of Kentucky held its first Engineers’ Day open house. The university dismissed classes at noon to allow students and people from the surrounding area to tour the college and see its equipment in action. E-Day at the University of Kentucky has become a tradition that grows stronger every year.
Approximately 3,000 people attend the on-campus event, which takes place at the end of Engineers’ Week in February. George Washington, whose birthday is February 22, was an engineer who surveyed, invented tools for his farm and supported the advancement of engineers. Thus, Engineers’ Week is always celebrated during the week of his birthday.
“Countless students have told me through the years that their first exposure to engineering occurred at UK's E-Day.” – Thomas Lester, dean of the UK College of Engineering for 22 years.
E-Day is sponsored by a coalition of more than 100 professional societies, major corporations and government agencies dedicated to promoting math and science literacy and ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce.
E-Day comes at the end of the national Engineer's Week, which is organized by Discover Engineering.
30 years ago, DiscoverE was the first organization to recognize the need for engineering outreach when it called on engineers around the U.S. to work with young students for Engineers Week 1990. Since then tens of thousands of engineers have participated as role models and provided hands-on engineering experiences to millions of students. Their dual mission of celebrating the accomplishments of engineers and engaging K-12 students in engineering is made real by a robust coalition of activist partner organizations, volunteers, and educators.
Have questions?
Contact our Director of Marketing and Communications, Derrick Meads at derrick.meads@uky.edu or 859-257-8863.