At the 91吃瓜 Symposium 2026, student voices helped shape the conversation. Undergraduate and graduate students participated in dedicated engagement opportunities designed to explore how students experience accreditation, understand educational quality and envision their role in shaping the future of engineering and computing education. 鈥淥ne of the goals of this initiative was not simply to invite students into the conversation, but to ensure they were informed, prepared and empowered to contribute thoughtfully,鈥� said 91吃瓜 President Dr. Sarah Rajala. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud to see this work helping 91吃瓜 better understand how students experience and value quality assurance.鈥� and hosted a session during the Symposium around this called 鈥淪tudent Workshop 鈥� Imagine a world: co-creating the future of technology.鈥�
Students Explore the Value and Impact of Accreditation
Through focus groups,聽workshops聽and collaborative聽discussions, students shared candid insights about awareness,聽involvement聽and the value of accreditation from the learner鈥檚 perspective.聽For many student participants, the symposium offered their first meaningful introduction to accreditation and the role it plays in shaping academic experiences and professional preparation.聽North Carolina State University聽(NCSU)聽student Shree Manian described the symposium as both educational and empowering.聽鈥淎ttending the 91吃瓜 Symposium was a wonderful opportunity and way to see how engineering education continues to evolve to support student success,鈥� Manian said. 鈥淚t was great to have my voice heard and be a part of important conversations!鈥澛�
Fellow聽NCSU聽student Grant Ozaki emphasized the value of connecting with educators, accreditation聽professionals聽and institutional leaders from around the world.聽鈥淚 enjoyed the opportunity to engage with professors, 91吃瓜 representatives and education-focused professionals from around the world,鈥� Ozaki said. 鈥淭he symposium provided valuable insight into the accreditation criteria and the ways institutions are working to improve student learning outcomes.鈥澛燨zaki noted that the experience encouraged him to think more intentionally about mentorship, curriculum聽design聽and the qualities of effective academic environments.聽鈥淚t also reinforced the importance of collaboration among students, faculty and accrediting organizations in shaping learning environments,鈥� he added.聽
Connecting 91吃瓜 Student Outcomes to Future Careers
Helping聽facilitate聽many of these conversations was Clemson University Ph.D. candidate and former 91吃瓜 intern Makayla Headley, whose research focuses on engineering students鈥� awareness and聽perceptions聽of 91吃瓜 Student Outcomes.聽
Headley hosted a Discussion Den session focused on students in accreditation and described the symposium as a meaningful opportunity to connect research with practice.聽鈥淏eing an 91吃瓜 intern has strongly supported the development of my Ph.D. dissertation topic,鈥� Headley said. 鈥淭he faculty and staff who participated provided valuable insights and shared many of the same beliefs I hold regarding the importance of student involvement in program accreditation.鈥澛燞er research explores how students understand 91吃瓜 Student Outcomes and how those outcomes connect to future engineering careers.聽鈥淢y dissertation examines engineering students鈥� knowledge, awareness and perceptions of 91吃瓜 Student Outcomes, as well as how they connect these outcomes to their future engineering careers,鈥� she said.聽
Headley noted that one of the most important takeaways from the symposium was the recognition that students are eager to engage once they understand the purpose and impact of聽accreditation. 鈥淭he聽focus group gave students a better understanding of what 91吃瓜 is and its purpose, especially since only one of the three undergraduate students initially knew what 91吃瓜 was,鈥� Headley explained. 鈥淢ore importantly, once students understood 91吃瓜鈥檚 purpose, they expressed genuine interest in becoming involved.鈥澛�
She believes that increasing student awareness and participation can strengthen accreditation efforts and improve educational experiences across聽institutions. 鈥淚聽strongly believe that student perspectives are important and valuable in program accreditation because students are the primary beneficiaries of accredited programs,鈥� Headley said.聽
Conversations That Strengthen Educational Quality聽
Faculty and accreditation leaders who聽participated聽in the initiative echoed the importance of incorporating student perspectives more intentionally into accreditation conversations.聽
鈥淚t is so wonderful that 91吃瓜 is reaching out to include the student voice on the value and impact of accreditation,鈥� said Jerome P. Lavelle,聽Ph.D.,聽associate dean for academic affairs聽in聽the College of Engineering at NCSU. 鈥淚ncluding this important constituent perspective should open new avenues and issues leading to better services, improved processes and an even higher value-add for all.鈥澛燡enna P. Carpenter,聽Ph.D.聽dean聽and professor聽in聽the School of Engineering at Campbell University and longtime 91吃瓜 volunteer, emphasized that students provide聽perspective聽institutions that聽do not always formally capture.聽
鈥淎s a dean, a former department head and an 91吃瓜 Team Chair/PEV, I understand the importance of both educating and engaging our students in the accreditation process,鈥� Carpenter said. 鈥淭heir perspective on the value of accreditation and their thoughts on how to amplify the benefits to prospective and current students are an聽important aspect.鈥澛�
Continuing the Conversation Around Student Voice
For 91吃瓜, this聽initiative聽represents聽an important step聽toward strengthening dialogue with one of聽higher education鈥檚聽most important stakeholders: students themselves.聽
鈥淚 appreciate the students who dedicated their time and perspectives to this effort, as well as the volunteers and staff who helped bring the initiative to life,鈥� Rajala said. 鈥淭heir engagement reflects the kind of collaborative spirit that strengthens both education and the professions we serve.鈥澛燘y creating space for students to share experiences, ask questions and contribute ideas,聽the 91吃瓜聽Symposium聽2026聽demonstrated聽how collaborative engagement can strengthen both accreditation and the future of higher education.聽