Student Life
Undergraduate Student Life
There are more than 120 student clubs and organizations at Stevens, and the campus community is always brimming with activity. Students participate in informal get-togethers, comedy nights, cultural celebrations and residence-hall social functions, and more. Throughout the year, there are also off-campus trips, comedy nights, concerts, and other activities sponsored by the Entertainment Committee (EC).
The Student Government Association (SGA) sponsors "Techfest" each fall and "Boken" in the spring. Both events feature fun-filled, festive activities. Special outings, such as the New York City Opera, Broadway shows, Museums, and other interesting and cultural affairs, are organized by the Office of Student Life throughout the year. Additionally, the Office of Undergraduate Student Life annually hosts special celebrations, such as student leader awards brunch and women's recognition dinner held at the end of the spring semester.
Throughout the year, students can take advantage of the on-campus bowling alley located in the basement of the Howe Center. For students interested in developing their leadership skills, the Office of Undergraduate Student Life hosts three leadership programs through LEADS (Leadership Education and Diversity Series), in addition to a yearly leadership retreat.
Unique and impromptu recreational activities are also common. Each fall, students, staff, faculty and administrators help inflate the giant balloons used in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and each spring students volunteer at several Hoboken 5Ks and the New York City Marathon. Stevens students are actively engaged in the Hoboken community as well as in national and international service initiatives.
Student Government Association (SGA)
At Stevens, you are an important member of the community. The keystone of the undergraduate division is the SGA; it directs and funds all student activities with the assistance of the Office of Undergraduate Student Life. Other elected groups include the Co-op Student Council, Ethnic Student Council, Residence Hall Association, Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council and the Multicultural Greek Council, all which serve the interests of their members. Members of the administration frequently hold informal meetings with small groups of students, providing an opportunity for an exchange of ideas and opinions.
Graduate Student Council (GSC)
The purpose of this governing organization is to provide a structure through which graduate students work together to improve the quality of graduate student life. The objectives of the Graduate Student Council at Stevens are as follows:
- To represent graduate students (certificate, masters, doctorate) on all matters pertaining to their general welfare as graduate students with the administration.
- To build a graduate student community via graduate student co-curricular activities.
- To approve and oversee all graduate student organizations and allocate budgets appropriately.
- To provide a formal means of communication among graduate students.
Clubs and Organizations
Ethnic, Cultural and Religious Groups
The student body comes to Stevens from all corners of the nation and around the world. Stevens welcomes the dozens of ethnic, cultural and religious groups that have been formed on campus. These include the Black Student Union, Chinese Student Association, Christian Fellowship, Filipino Association, Indian Student Association, Korean Student Association, Latin American Association, Muslim Student Association, Newman Association, Hillel, Hellenic Student Association, Italian Culture Club and the Polish American Cultural Society.
Undergraduate Honor & Professional Societies
Membership in honor societies, both local and national, is by invitation and extended to juniors and seniors. National societies include Tau Beta Pi, an honorary engineering society involved in community-based public service projects, and Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity. Other honorary engineering societies with chapters on the Stevens campus are Eta Kappa Nu, the electrical engineering honor society, Epsilon Mu Eta, the engineering management honor society, and the Phi Omicron chapter of Pi Tau Sigma, the mechanical engineering honorary fraternity. If a student has distinguished him/herself in the dramatic arts, they may be eligible for Theta Alpha Phi, the honorary theater performing arts society.
The Stevens honor societies are Gear and Triangle, which honors juniors and seniors for outstanding work in extracurricular activities, and Khoda, which selects its members from the senior class on the basis of noteworthy contributions to the Stevens community in general.
A number of national professional engineering and scientific societies have student chapters at Stevens, and membership in them gives students a distinct opportunity to evaluate career choices. They include the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, which held its first organizational meeting at Stevens in 1880, the American Chemical Society, the American Society of Engineering Management, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, Stevens Health Professionals Club, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, American Academy of Environmental Engineers, the Biomedical Engineering Society, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Automotive Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Society of Physics Students and the Society of Women Engineers.
Social Fraternities & Sororities
The decision to join a fraternity or sorority at Stevens is a personal one. The Interfraternity Council, Multicultural Greek Council, and the Panhellenic Council establish rules and oversee rushing and new member education. The formal rushing and pledging period occurs during the spring semester. It is Stevens' policy to actively advise fraternities and sororities on compliance with University regulations regarding student conduct and NJ state statutes against inappropriate behavior, including hazing.
Ten national social Greek letter fraternities have chapters at Stevens: Alpha Sigma Phi, Beta Theta Pi, Chi Phi, Chi Psi, Delta Tau Delta, Kappa Sigma, Phi Sigma Kappa, Sigma Nu, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Theta Xi. Four national Panhellenic social sororities have chapters at Stevens: Delta Phi Epsilon, Phi Sigma Sigma, Sigma Delta Tau and Theta Phi Alpha.
The University also supports two culturally-based national fraternities: Lambda Upsilon Lambda and Nu Alpha Phi fraternities.
Stevens has dozens of special interest clubs, such as the Chess Club, Hobby Robotics, Torch Alliance (Stevens LGBTQ and allies organization), The Stevens Knit and Crochet Club, Photography Club and Stevens Yacht Club, just to name a few.
For those interested in media and communications, Stevens has the following student-run media organizations: The Stute, our weekly student newspaper; WCPR radio; SIT-TV, an experimental television station; Red Shift, our student literary magazine and Link, the yearbook. Each gives students practical experience in a media function and affords the college community an outlet to express their talent and opinions.
DeBaun Performing Arts Center (DeBaun PAC) is the hub of performing arts on campus. DeBaun PAC operates two different venues on campus: 1) DeBaun Auditorium, a 470-seat theater in Edwin A. Stevens Hall; and 2) the Ondrick Music Room, with 1 large and 2 small rehearsal rooms, on the 4th floor of the Howe Center.
Stevens offers a wealth of opportunities for the theater enthusiast. The Stevens Dramatic Society (SDS) produces one show per semester, usually a play in the fall and a musical in the spring. Students handle all aspects of production, from performing on stage to behind-the-scenes work in scenery, lighting and sound design, as well as stage and business management. In addition to plays and musicals, sketch comedy and improv theater is presented by the student group Off Center, who write, direct, and produce multiple shows each semester. DeBaun PAC also produces a One Act Festival in the fall, and a Shakespeare Workshop in the winter.
Instrumentalists and vocalists will enjoy the variety of musical ensembles at Stevens. The Stevens Choir, Jazz Band, Concert Band and Orchestra all rehearse at various times during the week and perform at the end of each semester. DeBaun PAC offers partially subsidized voice and piano lessons to students (applications taken the first week of classes each semester). Open Rehearsal Hours are available in the Music Room for any student to rehearse, usually 10am-6pm Monday-Friday, with some late night and weekend hours.
For more information on all of the performing arts at Stevens, please see the DeBaun PAC webpage: www.stevens.edu/DeBaunPAC or email DeBaunPAC@stevens.edu.
The Office of Graduate Student Affairs (OGSA) strives to develop and implement a variety of resources, programs and events that focus on academic exploration, professional development, and social engagement for Stevens graduate students. OGSA works collaboratively with several University departments to sponsor the Graduate Enrichment Series, the PhD Network and Stevens Professional Pathways. Each program is structured to encourage academic, professional and personal development. In and effort to encourage academic research, the department sponsors the Graduate Conference Fund, an award that offers partial financial support for students to attend academic conferences.
To create a balanced Stevens experience, OGSA hosts a number of social activities throughout the academic year, such as monthly socials both on and off campus, trips to sporting events, Broadway shows and weekend trips.
Graduate students have the opportunity to get involved with more than 18 established professional and culturally based graduate student organizations. All clubs are open to the entire graduate student community.
OGSA’s overall goal is to provide graduate students with opportunities and resources to have a wholistic and comprehensive graduate experience. For more information, log on to the graduate activities web page at http://gradlife.stevens.edu or stop by the Office of Graduate Student Affairs in the Howe Center.
Graduate Honor & Professional Societies
Graduate students are eligible to become members of professional and honor societies. Honor societies of interest to graduate students are Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society, Eta Kappa Nu, the electrical engineering honor society, Pi Tau Sigma, the mechanical engineering honor society, and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society of North America. Of particular note is that the Tau Beta Pi chapter at Stevens, established before the turn of the last century, was the fourth in the country and the first in the state of New Jersey. The Society of Sigma Xi, whose founder was a Stevens alumnus, recognizes and encourages original research in science and engineering. Election to full membership in Sigma Xi is based on noteworthy achievement as an original investigator, as evidenced by publications or the successful defense of a doctoral dissertation. Associate membership can be achieved by showing marked excellence in studies and demonstrated aptitude for research. As part of its activities, the Stevens chapter sponsors a series of lectures by authorities in various fields of science and engineering.
Among the professional societies of interest to graduate students are the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, which held its first organizational meeting at Stevens in 1880, the Society of Automotive Engineers, the Association of Computing Machinery, the American Chemical Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Institute of Physics, the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers, the American Society for Metals, the Biomedical Engineering Society, the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers, the American Society for Engineering Management, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Many academic departments either independently or in conjunction with these or other organizations sponsor technical colloquia and seminars.
Athletics
Stevens competes at the NCAA division III level for intercollegiate sports. Men participate in baseball, basketball, cross-country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball and wrestling. Women represent Stevens in basketball, cross-country, equestrian, fencing, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field and volleyball. The majority of sports are affiliated with the Empire 8 Athletic Conference. Other conferences include MACFA for men’s fencing, NIWFA for women’s fencing, wrestling in the Centennial Conference, men’s volleyball in the United Volleyball Conference and the equestrian squad holds membership in the IHSA. Stevens’ mascot is Attila the Duck.
Stevens also offers a wide variety of intramural sports, a number of club sports teams, an outdoor recreation program and an extensive offering of informal sport/recreational opportunities including wellness classes and a well-equipped fitness center. Students enjoy a full program of athletic activities throughout the year.
Club sports teams compete in national and regional conferences and tournaments. The current club sports teams include: archery, badminton, baseball, women’s basketball, bowling, crew, cycling, ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, sailing, ski and snowboard, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, swimming, tennis, triathlon, ultimate frisbee and men’s volleyball. Be sure to go to www.stevensrec.com for complete details.
For a closer look, visit Stevens’ impressive athletic facilities which include the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. Athletic and Recreational Center, Walker Gym, De Baun Athletic Complex, six tennis courts and beach volleyball court. Our website, www.stevensducks.com, is a great resource for additional information and news updates.
Social Life Off-Campus
Hoboken
Hoboken is a unique, one mile-square community and a center of urban renaissance. Known as the birthplace of both the late Frank Sinatra and of baseball, it is a wonderful place to live and is home to thousands of artists and professionals, among others. Washington Street, the main thoroughfare, has a bustling vitality with over 50 restaurants, delis and cafés, as well as art galleries, bookstores and music and dance clubs. Hoboken's picturesque streets with renovated brownstones and quaint parks have also become the backdrop for motion pictures and television sitcoms.
Located on the west bank of the Hudson River, the waterfront plays a dominant role in the life of the city. During World War I, Hoboken was the port of embarkation for hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and later (as portrayed in the award-winning film, On the Waterfront) the city became a major center of the shipping industry. The City of Hoboken is a vibrant and exciting community with direct access to shopping centers, sports arenas, performing arts venues and New York City.
New York City
Our campus overlooks the Hudson River and New York City, the cultural capital of the nation. Whether you prefer to haunt museums or art galleries, attend the theater, or hear music ranging from classical to rock, New York City is the place to go. Eat in Little Italy or Chinatown, pick up bargain-basement-priced tickets to a Broadway or off-Broadway play, ride a bike or rollerblade in Central Park, stroll through SoHo, catch a Knicks or Rangers game at Madison Square Garden or go to the famous Bronx Zoo. A ten-minute train ride whisks you from the Hoboken PATH Terminal into midtown and downtown Manhattan. Students can also take a bus from the Hoboken Terminal into the Port Authority Terminal in midtown, or a ferry from the Hoboken Terminal to Battery Park downtown and from 13th Street to midtown.
Taking Advantage of Local Events and Activities
The Office of Student Life and the Office of Graduate Student Affairs can provide specific details about events in Hoboken, at other nearby colleges and in New York City, and can arrange for tours or discount tickets to many events. Discount movie tickets are also available in Student Life.
Honor System for Undergraduate Students
The Stevens Honor System is the rigorous ethical and moral code to which undergraduate students are held, and which seeks to ensure that all academic work is bona fide. This code was formally implemented in 1908 with the creation of the Stevens Honor System as well as its governing body, the Stevens Honor Board. The Honor System at Stevens was developed to fulfill two objectives. First, to ensure that work submitted by students can be trusted as their own and was performed in an atmosphere of honesty and fair play. Second, the Honor System exists to promote, both on the campus and in the individual student, a sense of honor in preparation for the professional world.
Enrollment into the undergraduate student body at Stevens Institute of Technology signifies a student's commitment to the Honor System. It is the responsibility of each student to become acquainted with and to uphold the ideals set forth in the Honor System Constitution. Specific student responsibilities include:
- Maintaining honesty and fair play in all aspects of academic life at Stevens.
- Writing and signing the pledge, in full, on all submitted academic work
- Reporting any suspected violations to an the Honor Board
- Cooperating with the Honor Board during investigations and hearings
The constitution and bylaws of the Honor System may be reviewed online at www.stevens.edu/honor.
The Honor Board is the Honor System’s governing board. It is comprised of undergraduate students who are elected by their peers. They investigate all suspected breaches of academic integrity, and assign a penalty to students who either confess or are found to be guilty of an Honor System violation. When investigating a case Honor Board members meet with the accused student, pertinent witnesses, and relevant faculty. The investigation culminates with one of three outcomes: either the case is dropped due insufficient evidence to support the suspicion, or the accused student confesses, or a hearing is held and the case is presented to a jury of the student’s peers (a randomly selected group of undergraduates).
The Honor System also includes a two level appeals process. Any student who is dissatisfied with the penalty assigned by the Board after confessing or being found guilty by a jury may appeal to the Faculty Committee on Appeals for a reduced penalty. If unsuccessful, the student may submit a second and final appeal to the Provost or appointed designee.