A male college student at left sits at a table behind a laptop computer as he smiles and gestures with his hand toward another male college student sitting at a table and looking at a piece of paper.

Summer Bridge Program builds foundation for new ECU engineering students

Published Jul 22, 2026 by
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A group of new East Carolina University engineering students couldn’t wait until the fall semester to start their futures. This summer, they are spending five weeks on campus immersed in all things engineering as part of the Summer Bridge Program.

The program jumpstarts their engineering education, challenging them with math and engineering courses, connecting them with industry through facility tours and introducing them to college life. Together, these experiences build a strong foundation for their success when the fall semester begins Aug. 17.

“It’s a lot of homework, but besides that, I like it. It’s been fun,” said Trapper Manley, one of 11 students participating in the program.

A female college student at left sitting at a table in front of a laptop computer smiles as she talks to a male college student at right with his back to the camera.

Sabrina Chavez, an engineering student in the Summer Bridge Program, shares a laugh with a fellow student in class. (Photo by Ken Buday)

In the Classroom

A key component of the program is the opportunity for students to strengthen their math skills, an important prerequisite for engineering coursework. For Manley, who is transferring to ECU after receiving credits at Beaufort County Community College, the opportunity to revisit the math he had already learned drew him to the Summer Bridge Program.

“I knew I needed a math review,” he said. “The last math class I took was two years ago, so I mainly just wanted to review for math.”

The students also take two introductory engineering courses that they would normally take in their first semesters on campus, including an engineering graphics course that introduces them to design software.

“I like it. It’s fun,” Sabrina Chavez said of the SolidWorks software. “Sometimes when it doesn’t want to work, it gets a little hard, but after a little help from Dr. (Blair) Weaver or looking it up, it goes back to being smooth.”

Chavez is looking into the newly expanded civil and environmental engineering concentration as part of the Bachelor of Science in engineering program.

“I have a little brother. I told him I was interested in engineering. He did construction a lot, and he said one of the good engineering things would be civil engineering,” Chavez said. “We talked and it influenced me more into the civil and environmental engineering.”

The concentration explores functionality, safety and sustainability of the built environment with a focus on solutions to problems such as flooding, clean water and environmental protection. Chavez is particularly drawn to the idea of creating projects that benefit people.

“You can be like, ‘You see that bridge we’re driving over? I did that.’ That’s cool,” Chavez said.

Industry Tours

The Summer Bridge Program stretches beyond the classroom, introducing students to engineering careers through a series of industry tours. The Greenville Utilities Commission, Hyster-Yale, Catalent, Fresenius Kabi and Sequence all hosted students who learned how engineers play a role in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and the environment, to name a few.

A man at left standing on a cement platform points in the direction of some equipment as he talks to a group of college students.

Chris Hill, operations supervisor at the Greenville Utilities Commission wastewater treatment plant, gives a tour to the engineering students. (Photo by Steven Mantilla)

Students also met alumni and engineering advisory board members including John Roberson at Hyster-Yale and Jacob Swing at the Greenville Utilities Commission to get firsthand accounts of how their ECU experiences propelled them to success in industry.

At Greenville Utilities, students explored the engineering behind the equipment used in everything from wastewater treatment to electrical power.

“We saw where and what they do, and how they operate,” said Aaron Romero, an incoming student from Greenville. “They told us about some opportunities if we wanted an internship and different careers that we could explore after college.”

JoEllen Gay, laboratory pretreatment manager at the Greenville Utilities Commission wastewater treatment plant, encouraged students to explore internships and careers with GUC.

“We do have a lot of engineers employed with GUC in various roles in various areas,” she told the students. “Working with water plants and wastewater plants, it’s an opportunity because we’re always going to be here. There’s always going to be a need for water and wastewater treatment, industrial pretreatment where engineers will have to come in and evaluate what type of equipment and processes are needed to remove harmful constituents from an industry’s discharge prior to it coming to a wastewater plant. The field is open.”

Welcome to ECU

Being together for five weeks during the summer, the 11 students have formed a bond. They attend the same classes together, go on the same tours together and eat in the dining hall together. They even enjoyed a summer cookout lunch at the Main Campus Student Center.

“It’s fun meeting with people and just talking about how we come from different areas,” said Chavez, whose hometown is Autryville in Sampson County.

Romero said he believes the program will put him a step ahead of other new students when the fall semester begins on Aug. 17.

“It’s transitioning from summer to starting at the university,” he said. “We kind of see how it’s going to look like when we take classes. We already opened Canvas for the first time at ECU. We know how to check our emails, so I feel like we’ll be more ahead than most people coming in this fall.”

The Program

Dr. Ricky Castles, engineering professor and the associate dean for student affairs in the College of Engineering and Technology, spearheads the Summer Bridge Program. He said the program sets up students for success, providing them a strong academic headstart to their first full semesters on campus. He said the program also fosters teamwork, collaboration and a sense of belonging for students who spend five weeks on campus together.

Funding for the program comes from the National Science Foundation, with scholarships covering fees, meals and rooms in the residence halls.

Students at left stand and listen to a woman at right in a lab with computers on a table in the background.

Engineering students visit a lab at the Greenville Utilities Commission wastewater treatment plant. (Photo by Steven Mantilla)

Students stand behind railings and look over to a large cement enclosed pool of circulating water.

Engineering students in the Summer Bridge Program tour the Greenville Utilities Commission wastewater treatment plant. (Photo by Steven Mantilla)