Order of the Engineer
Before students receive their diploma from the Herff College of Engineering, they receive another gift that symbolizes all of their hard work, dedication and commitment to the craft: the Ring of the Engineer.
The ring serves as a way for fellow engineers to recognize each other. It also serves as a constant reminder of the responsibilies an engineer carries.
During the Order of the Engineer ceremony, graduating students receive the Obligation of the 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.”
The first Order of the Engineer originated in Canada and made its way to the United States in 1970 when Cleveland State University hosted the first Order of the Engineer ceremony in the United States.
Herff’s link, or chapter, of The Order of the Engineer began in 2021, thanks to a student-led initiative. The ceremony takes place each spring on the Friday before graduation.
At the end of the Spring 2026 semester, 80 members of the Herff College of Engineering took part in the ceremony, including 79 graduating seniors and one faculty member.
After reciting the Obligation of the Engineer, students walk across a stage and presented with the Ring of the Engineer before then signing their pledge to use their knowledge for the betterment of humanity.