IEEE-HKN marks 15 Years Since Landmark Merger,Amplifying Student Leadership & Technical Excellence
ANN ARBOR,Mich. – Fifteen years after uniting with IEEE, the Honor Society for Electrical and Computer Engineering – now known as IEEE-HKN – is celebrating a milestone marked by expanded student outreach, increased affordability, and a strengthened commitment to fostering the next generation of technology leaders.The merger, finalized in 2009, has enabled IEEE-HKN to broaden its impact while remaining dedicated to its core values of scholarship, character, and attitude.
The integration allowed IEEE-HKN to leverage the resources of the larger IEEE institution,directly benefiting students through initiatives like the annual Student Leadership Conference. This year’s conference, scheduled for November 7-9 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, is designed to be more accessible to students and provides a platform for IEEE-HKN members to share practical technical and career insights.
“In the spirit of One IEEE, an important feature of all IEEE-HKN conferences is that sponsoring societies have representatives on hand to encourage students to find their technical home,” explained Nancy Ostin, director of IEEE-HKN.
Beyond the Student Leadership Conference, IEEE-HKN hosts two virtual conferences annually: Pathways to Industry and TechX, both offered at a discounted rate to all IEEE members. The society has also been actively celebrating the merger at recent IEEE events including SouthEastCon, joint meetings of IEEE Regions 1 and 2, the IEEE Life Members Evolution Conference, and IEEE CompSac.
IEEE-HKN is commemorating the 15th anniversary with a feature in the October issue of its magazine, The Bridge, and a fundraising campaign in partnership with the IEEE Foundation.The campaign aims to secure financial support for the honor society’s ongoing initiatives.
Reflecting on the past 15 years, ostin emphasized the alignment between IEEE-HKN’s values and IEEE’s strategic goals. “As IEEE’s honor society, HKN’s core values…align with IEEE’s strategic goals by inspiring intellectual curiosity and knowledge sharing, fostering lifelong engagement, and empowering technology leaders,” she saeid. “Being an HKN member is a lifelong designation, and we are proud that our members are leaders in industry, academia, and government, always looking for ways to give back to our current and future students.”