T.J. Smull College of Engineering
Biggs Engineering Building
525 South Main St.
Ada, OH 45810
Phone: 419-772-2371
Email: engineering@onu.edu
Order of the Engineer
Purpose
The Order of the Engineer is the Roster of Engineers in the United States who have participated in an Engineering Ring Ceremony and who have accepted in public the "Obligation of an Engineer." It 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 to the public a visible symbol identifying the engineer.
The Order is not a membership organization; there are never any meetings to attend or dues to pay. Instead, the Order does fosters a unity of purpose and the honoring of one's pledge lifelong.
The Obligation of the Order of the Engineer is similar to the Canadian "Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer" initiated in 1926. The Canadian Ritual uses a wrought iron ring, conducts a secret ceremony, and administers an oath authorized by Rudyard Kipling. The extension of the Ritual outside of Canada was prevented by copyright and other conflicting factors.
Ceremony
Engineering Ring Ceremonies are conducted by universities, engineering societies and government engineering organizations who have been approved and chartered by the National Board of Governors. Ohio Northern University held its' first ceremony in May 1971 and has inducted 2,802 engineers to the order since then. The ONU Engineering Ring Ceremony is held in the English Chapel on campus each year in May for the graduating seniors and other eligible participants.
Obligation
The Obligation is a creed similar to the oath attributed to Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) that is taken by medical graduates and which sets forth an ethical code. The Obligation likewise, contains parts of the Canon of Ethics of major engineering societies. Initiates, as they accept it voluntarily, pledge to uphold the standards and dignity of the engineering profession and to serve humanity by making the best use of Earth's precious wealth.
Membership
The following persons are eligible for membership in the Order:
- Any engineer who has graduated from an ABET- (or ECPD-) accredited engineering program
- Any engineer who holds a license as a professional engineer (PE)
- Engineering students enrolled in an ABET-accredited degree program who are within two academic terms of graduation
- Other candidates may be considered due to equivalent credentials, subject to the approval of the National Board of Governors
Symbol
The Engineer's Ring in the United States is a stainless steel ring, worn on the fifth finger of the working hand by engineers who have accepted the Obligation of an Engineer during an Engineering Ring Ceremony.
For additional information on the ONU Engineering Ring Ceremony or if you are an alumnus who has misplaced your ring, please contact Lori Goldsmith in the Engineering Dean's Office at l-goldsmith@onu.edu or 419-772-2371.
