STV recently welcomed students from Vanguard High School to its New York City office for a hands-on engineering design challenge, continuing the firm’s longstanding commitment to inspiring the next generation of science, technology, engineering, arts/architecture and mathematics (STEAM) professionals.
Hosted in partnership with the Salvadori Center and the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA), the event gave students the opportunity to explore structural engineering principles through a real-world design exercise. The program was part of a pilot initiative led by the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) to test a new educational kit designed to introduce high school students to careers in structural engineering.
Working in teams, students transformed concept sketches into completed tower designs using provided materials. Their structures were evaluated against engineering criteria that mirrored real-world challenges, including height requirements, load capacity and resistance to simulated earthquake forces. Throughout the activity, STV professionals shared insights into the engineering process and the critical role structural engineers play in designing safe, resilient infrastructure and buildings.
“Programs like this allow students to experience the engineering design process firsthand and show them that STEAM careers can be both creative and impactful,” said Jithu Alexander, PE, an associate and structural engineer at STV. “Watching these students collaborate, test ideas and refine their designs demonstrated exactly the curiosity and critical thinking our industry depends on.”
The program builds on STV’s ongoing partnership with the Salvadori Center, a nonprofit that delivers hands-on, project-based educational programs connecting K-12 students with architecture, engineering and the built environment. Through this collaboration, STV has supported a range of educational and workforce development initiatives to expand awareness of careers in the architecture, engineering and construction industry.
Previous efforts have included conducting a career day for students at PS 386 in Manhattan and hosting career development workshops at STV’s New York City office, where students engaged directly with engineers, architects and planners to learn about career pathways across the industry. The team also partnered with the Salvadori Center and the New York Building Congress to help redesign and build a new classroom space at a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) community center, creating an enhanced learning environment for local students.
