Math, Science, Service, and Success: The University of Mary’s Hamm School of Engineering

Step foot in the Hamm School of Engineering, and it is no wonder why the University of Mary’s engineers are in high demand. The windows of every classroom are covered in dry-erase equations and project notes.

Inside the classrooms, students are collaborating and eagerly piecing together an apparatus. Machines are buzzing and creating round-the-clock to keep up with the accelerated pace of rigorous classes. Professors are encountering students and beaming with pride. While our high-achieving program is alluring in and of itself, it is the servant leadership instilled in Mary’s engineers that proves excellence.

Ex Corde Ecclesiae

In a secular industry that can be known to pull away from the faith, the University of Mary’s engineering program grounds itself in truth and ensures Catholic identity. Leaning into Ex corde Ecclesiae, we prepare students to solve real-world challenges while upholding Catholic social teaching.

We integrate theology and philosophy courses into our graduation requirements so that students critically evaluate the relationship of technology, society, and the environment. It is this emphasis on virtue and moral understanding that awards our engineers distinction. Rather than focusing on “What can I get?” our students ask, “How can I give?”

Service is at the heart of our engineering education. The Hamm School of Engineering came to be after recognizing a need for an engineering school in western North Dakota. Following the spirit of our beloved sponsors and founders, the Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, we heard the call and sought to break ground.

Now, service structures our curriculum through partnerships and projects. Students participate in paid internships starting their sophomore year, gaining real-world experience. We seek out local firms and community needs to design service-learning projects so that our students exercise their technical skills while contributing to the common good.

Cutting-Edge Research

Designing an engineering curriculum is the art of balancing consistency in an ever-changing field. Our aim is to allow students to explore cutting-edge research while excelling in core competencies.

The Hamm School of Engineering’s hands-on laboratory makes learning practical. It is in spaces like the lab that give students the permission to play — learning in the most effective ways. While the end goal is to create servant leaders in engineering, we realize each student will have a peculiar path to that result.

Some engineering schools will push back on scholar-athletes due to the conflicts in demanding course requirements and intense athletic schedules. We welcome scholar-athletes and encourage our students to be involved in campus activities and events. We want students to become who God meant for them to be — listening to the still, small voice amid the booming world of engineering.

To foster their discernment, students take ownership of a real-world senior design capstone project in partnership with industry experts and engineering companies. Our seniors work alongside global corporations like Continental Resources, Marathon, and Doosan Bobcat.

Mary’s Engineers

Showcasing their expertise, Mary’s engineers are gaining exposure to the workforce and traction in the job market. Each project is assigned a project manager from the partnering corporation — someone with direct experience and an invested interest in the project’s success. Our students cultivate life-long relationships with project managers who provide expert mentorship.

What makes the Hamm School of Engineering distinct is not the product but the people. Our faculty is keeping the Catholic identity alive and well. We hold our students to the highest academic standard while celebrating their unique gifts and God-given abilities. Mary engineering courses have a maximum class size of 20 students, so professors can intentionally serve their students and meet individual learning needs. Students rave about the one-on-one mentorship opportunities this provides.

Benedictine Value of Hospitality

Our faculty fosters the Benedictine value of hospitality as we strive to “receive all as Christ.” Because our professors create spaces that warmly welcome students, conversations, and questions that fill the Hamm School of Engineering. I firmly believe this emphasis on personal engagement, paired with expertise, drives our success.

I am proud of how far we have come in just ten years. We earned full accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) in 2023 for our Bachelor of Science degrees in civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering, and now offer world-class programs in environmental engineering, construction engineering, construction management, computer engineering, and computer science.

Graduates of the University of Mary’s Hamm School of Engineering currently sport 100% job placement and internship rates. But I am most proud of our engineers, who are faithful servant leaders using their skills to mold our future world.

Here at the University of Mary, engineering is more than a profession; it’s a vocation. If you feel called to study engineering and want to be prepared for the workforce while flourishing in your Catholic faith, I’d love to chat with you!

Learn more about the University of Mary.

About Dr. Terry Pilling

Dr. Terry Pilling is the Dean of UMary's Hamm School of Engineering, which has 15 faculty members, 300 students, and 8 engineering and computer science degree options. The school has a 100% internship and job placement rate and over 95% first-time pass rate for the National Fundamentals of Engineering exam required for licensure. Dr. Pilling is also an Oblate of the Order of St. Benedict at Assumption Abbey in Richardton, ND.