The faculty of engineering has one of the highest drop-out rates on campus.

Luckily, engineering students will now have a new place to study thanks to a newly renovated resource center. The center opened Wed., Sep. 12 and was named in honour of a sizable donation from Devon Canada.

"I strongly feel that this new center will cater to the needs of all engineering students," said engineering student society vice-president external Jodie Perzan.

The newly renovated resource center is on the second floor of Engineering block C. It features a study area, along with individual rooms for tutoring and group meetings. The center serves as a functional work environment for students to learn with available computer access and course work assistance.

"It's a great place to have, we can come here any time and receive one-on-one help with our subjects," said second-year engineering student Conrad Bereznicki. "It's easier than arranging an appointment with a professor, you get help whenever you need it."

The resource center is primarily focused on giving one-on-one instructional assistance to the 1,500 students registered in first and second-year common core courses. The center ensures every student is given the opportunity to succeed in their courses and become active problem solvers.

"We like what we see coming from the Schulich School of Engineering," said Devon Canada Corporation president Chris Seasons. "The problem solving abilities of the students astound me. Canada needs more productive people, and there is going to be high demand for that talent."

Devon Canada has supported the Schulich School of Engineering through various initiatives such as the solar car and the engineering associates program, Seasons noted. The Academic Resource Center will ensure that engineering graduates will have the skills needed to successfully solve the most complex problems society encounters.

"The continual support from Devon has been great for our faculty" said Schulich School of Engineering dean Elizabeth Cannon. "Both organizations are benefiting from this relationship."

Cannon believes student success is not only gauged by work conducted in the classroom, but in external activities as well. Sponsorships enable students to have a hands on approach to learning, giving them an invaluable advantage in today's workforce.

"Devon is truly giving back to the community, helping us achieve our vision of top-quality education," she said.