Eighty members of Herff College take part in Order of the Engineer ceremony
May 12, 2026
Eighty members of the Herff College of Engineering, including 79 graduating seniors and one faculty member, took part in the Order of the Engineer ceremony on May 8.
The Order of the Engineer was initiated in the United States to foster a spirit of pride and responsibility in the engineering profession, to bridge the gap between training and experience and to present the public with a visible symbol identifying an engineer.
"This ceremony presents an opportunity to take a pledge and to recall that the professional purpose of engineering involves the pursuit of a learned art and the spirit of public service. It's difficult to visualize any better symbolism than that of a ring and saying, in affect, 'Here is an engineer, dedicated to a public obligation to the profession of those they serve. The stainless steel ring sybmolives the strength and unity of the profession and provides an identifying mark of the engineer," said Assistant Professor Dr. Carl Herickhoff.
Akin to a white coat ceremony for doctors when they take the Hippocratic Oath, members of the Order of the Engineer are presented with a steel ring to symbolize their commitment to engineering. They then recite the Obligation of an Engineer.
“I am an Engineer. In my profession I take deep pride. To it I owe solemn obligations. As an Engineer, I pledge to practice integrity and fair dealing, tolerance and respect; and to uphold devotion to the standards and the dignity of my profession, conscious always that my skill carries with it the obligation to serve humanity by making the best use of the Earth’s precious wealth. As an Engineer, I shall participate in none but honest enterprises. When needed, my skill and knowledge shall be given without reservation for the public good. In the performance of duty and with deep fidelity to my profession, I shall give my utmost.”
Seniors walked across the stage, accepted their ring from Dr. Amy Curry shook hands with Herff College of Engineering Dean Okenwa Okoli and then signed their pledge to follow the Obligation of the Engineer.
Rajesh Balasubramanian, Assistant Professor and Gradaute Coordinator of Engineering Technology at Herff College, also took part in the ceremony.