Don Andrew (CivE 5T4) and Todd Reichert (EngSci 0T5, AeroE PhD 1T1) served as Engineering Society officers nearly 50 years apart. As the U of T Engineering community anticipates the opening of the new Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship, both weigh in on their memories of the campus and how it has evolved.
Don Andrew
(CivE 5T4)
Engineering Society Vice-president, 5T3-5T4
U of T Engineering was a much smaller place when Don attended, and the “Little Red Skulehouse” was the centre of activity. He recalls the glorious old building with rambling staircases, an Engineering bookstore managed by the Engineering Society and chariot races against other faculties on St. George campus. Dedicated study spaces weren’t readily available beyond the library and Hart House, so students often studied with their friends in residences or laboratories on campus.
“Students graduate with much more information today,” says Don. “What we learned within four years, I believe students now learn in about a year and a half.” And he would know: Even while building his own civil engineering business, Don maintained close ties with U of T. In 1993, he was recognized with an Arbor Award for his volunteer leadership, which has included serving on the Governing Council, the College of Electors and as president of the Engineering Alumni Association.
Don has seen teaching practices change dramatically to encourage more interactive learning environments, which he says help students learn to think creatively. He also believes U of T’s increased focus on research today gives students opportunities to get involved in important problem-solving work that can make a big impact and inspire them to further their educations in specific areas. Engineering fields of study were much broader in Don’s day, which he says made students quite versatile but wouldn’t prepare them for today’s more specialized engineering professions. The new Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship will provide collaborative spaces for instruction, research and group projects, which represent the future of engineering education.
Todd Reichert
(EngSci 0T5, AeroE PhD 1T1)
Engineering Society President,
0T4-0T5
Though he earned his Engineering Science degree just eight years ago, the U of T campus has already changed a bit since then. “There are definitely a few more new buildings interspersed amongst the old stone, but on the whole the campus has a similar feel to it. It feels like a place with heritage and knowledge, where people come to think, to be challenged and to the challenge the world around them.”
Todd and fellow Skule grad Cameron Robertson (EngSci 0T8, AeroE MASc 0T9) definitely proved themselves up to the challenge. They designed the world’s first human-powered helicopter, winning the $250,000 Sikorsky Prize from the American Helicopter Society earlier this year. Today, Todd stays involved with Skule through his company, AeroVelo, a design lab that works with a small team of U of T Engineering students over the summer.
The stacks at the top of Robarts Library was Todd’s ideal study spot, since he preferred peace and quiet to focus amidst all the activity that comes along with being Engineering Society president. The main lecture hall in the Mechanical Engineering Building stands out in his mind because it was the site of his Civil Engineering 102 course. “It was the course that really defined first-year engineering for me. Just recently I was back there, standing on the other side of the lecture table, giving a talk to an Engineering Science class. It definitely brought back some good memories.”