Penn State Outreach is pleased to name Ryan Hassler, Ph.D., as the inaugural recipient of the Commonwealth Commitment Preparing Students Award for his work with Engineering Ahead, a program he has coordinated since 2016 to prepare incoming first-year Penn State Berks engineering students—particularly those from underrepresented and low-income populations—for the demands of pursuing their college degree.
Hassler, a teaching professor of mathematics at Penn State Berks, has been instrumental in the creation, development, and long-term sustainability of the Engineering Ahead program since its inception. The program emerged from the Penn State College of Engineering and was funded by a National Science Foundation grant in 2015.
Preparing Students for a Successful Future
Engineering Ahead is an immersive four-week residential program that integrates preparation in mathematics and foundational engineering concepts with development of skills including time management, study strategies, and self-regulated learning. While participating in the free program, students engage in hands-on engineering labs, collaborate on community-based design projects with real nonprofit clients, and participate in industry site visits and career development opportunities.
Alexander Maldonado, a senior industrial engineering major and former Engineering Ahead scholar who returned to mentor the 2025 cohort, had this to say about the program: “Engineering Ahead creates the perfect environment for both students and mentors to learn from each other. The ability to network and find opportunities through this program is second to none. The program has produced great students because it understands and meets their needs. It will continue to do so because of the time and commitment that Hassler and his entire team put into running the program and giving these students the perfect foundation that they need to thrive in college and in the real world.”
Dramatic Student Impact
Recognizing the alarmingly low retention and graduation rates among students from historically underrepresented populations in engineering, Engineering Ahead at Penn State Berks was launched in 2016 to better support students during their transition to college. Since then, the program has served nearly 200 incoming engineering students through an intensive residential summer bridge experience focused on academic preparation, community building, and student success. And the results have proven to be both meaningful and lasting for many students.
“Engineering Ahead played a significant role in shaping my engineering journey by helping me develop technical skills, connect with students and faculty, and explore different engineering careers before starting college,” said Jocelyn Espinoza, a 2026 Penn State aerospace engineering graduate. “The program sparked my interest in research and opened the door to undergraduate research opportunities, where I developed analytical and problem-solving skills that prepared me for my current role as an aerodynamics test engineer at Boeing.”
The program’s impact has been substantial. Most notably, Engineering Ahead has increased retention among its targeted engineering student population nearly fivefold and serves as a proven model for supporting future engineers.
Engaging the Community
Engineering Ahead integrates civic engagement and amplifies Penn State’s impact through partnerships with organizations such as Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading (VOiCEup Berks). One example of this partnership is the annual Canstructure Open House, a design challenge Hassler and his Engineering Ahead students help plan and lead.
At the event, K-12 students are tasked with using canned goods they have previously collected for eventual donation as the building blocks to create structures for design challenges. Engineering Ahead students help plan and implement the event, which, over the past eight years, has engaged hundreds of young volunteers annually and resulted in the donation of more than 55 tons of food to the Berks County community.
“We are deeply grateful for Ryan Hassler’s partnership and the countless ways [Engineering Ahead] helps expand opportunities for young people in Berks County,” said Christi Terefenko, executive director of VOiCEup Berks. “[This program] cultivates measurable growth in his students’ confidence, technical abilities, and civic awareness, equipping them with the skills and perspective needed to succeed professionally while contributing meaningfully to their own communities.”
Creating a Lasting Legacy
Engineering Ahead is supported by the dedicated volunteer efforts of more than 50 faculty, peer mentors, and alumni. The program is free for participating students—removing a critical financial barrier for those who would benefit most.
To sustain the program, Hassler has secured significant external funding, cultivated long-standing industry partnerships, generated philanthropic support, and obtained institutional funding. Notably, former Engineering Ahead students (now early in their professional careers) have begun contributing financially to ensure the program remains free for future participants.
“Engineering Ahead gave me the skills I needed to succeed outside of a classroom and taught me how to network and succeed in a collaborative environment. It helped me keep my current job when my company restructured. If it did all of that for me, it’s worth donating back to the program to help pass the torch to the next generation of students,” said Matt Fredd, a 2022 nuclear engineering graduate and nuclear space systems engineer at Westinghouse.
Demonstrating the program’s scalability, following a successful pilot in 2025, Hassler launched a full four-week Biology Ahead program for Penn State Berks science students in the summer of 2026.
Living Our Commonwealth Commitments
“We are thrilled to honor Ryan Hassler and his Engineering Ahead program for exemplifying our Commonwealth Commitment to prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed,” said Larry Terry, vice president for Outreach.
“Through this transformative work, he has created an experiential learning opportunity that directly benefits students and the broader community. Engineering Ahead supports Penn State’s land-grant mission and addresses commonwealth challenges through expanded access to a high-quality STEM education and meaningful community partnerships. Congratulations and sincere thanks to Ryan Hassler and his dedicated team of volunteers!”