College History

Engineering at the University of Arizona has a long and rich history spanning more than a century, from the end of Frontier days and the Apache Wars to today's high-tech era.

Through the years the College has educated thousands of engineering leaders and enriched the economies of Arizona and the nation, while equally enriching the fund of scientific knowledge on which modern society is built.

For many alumni, these pages will bring back memories of days when responsibilities were fairly few and long-term planning meant studying for tomorrow's exam.

Current students, faculty and staff will find a history that should make them proud of the programs in which they're now involved and a sense that they, too, are making history.

For potential students and their parents, these pages will provide an insight into who we are at UA Engineering and where we came from. They show how the College has continued to provide students with an outstanding education throughout the years.

But these pages aren't finished. In fact, they're an ongoing project. We want to encourage alumni, current students, faculty and staff members to get involved in sharing their memories of UA Engineering. We also would like to receive photos to add to the online collection of historical photographs.

Share your history

Everyone has a story to tell. The problem often is convincing people that others are interested in their memories, photos and observations. Once they are convinced, many people start seeking the perfect; they never think what they've written is good enough. Often, in fact, seeking the perfect prevents them from even starting.

Which is bad for us. We need your memories and photos for this engineering history project. No history, this one included, is ever really complete, and we continue to seek those photos forgotten in a shoebox or pressed beneath old yearbooks. We want those memories, no matter how plainly told. The tapestry of history is woven from many threads, not just the golden ones.

So we'll make a deal with you. Send us your memories and forget about perfect grammar, spelling or Pulitzer-Prize-winning narrative. Just send us the facts and photos, and we'll do the rest. That way, we can all share the memories.

Send your stories and photos to Pete Brown at pnb@email.arizona.edu.