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2025 Investiture Information

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CEDC Sponsor Financial Commitment

Each CEDC sponsor invests $7,500 for their student-selected project. Invoices will be sent during early October, shortly after the commencement of student project work. Students may also need company-donated parts or access to company resources to complete project assignments.

This $7,500 fee does not mean that student team members are employees of Thayer or of their industry sponsor. Your contribution partially supports the expenses associated with this project course. The actual cost of a typical ENGS 89/90 student project is about $25,000 per student.

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A Great Value

CEDC Project Benefits

Average number of student hours per project

  • 1,000 hrs

Cost per hour

  • $7.50

Total cost

  • $7,500

Value-added Benefit

  • Faculty advisor, course director, external reviewers, support staff, and use of Dartmouth facilities

Typical In-house Project Comparison

Hiring one engineering graduate for

  • 1,000 hrs

Average total cost

  • $35,000

Value-added Benefit

  • Typically very little

Competitive Waiver Program

Potential project sponsors who are not able to commit to the project funding requirement are encouraged to submit project proposals and statements of need to compete for a partial or full waiver of the required $7,500 in program support.

Please refer to the following eligibility guidelines and rules before submitting a project proposal with a competitive waiver:

Eligible Organizations

  • Non-profits
  • Government entities
  • For-profit companies of fewer than 5 employees

Coverage

  • Partial offset or full defrayal of the required $7,500.

Approval Committee

  • Director of the CEDC
  • ENGS 89/90 Instructor
  • Faculty member, appointed by the dean of Thayer School of Engineering

Selection Criteria

  • The sponsor must certify that the project is being submitted by an eligible organization.
  • The sponsor must further demonstrate that the $7,500 in program support cannot be met.
  • Projects will be evaluated according to their likelihood of success, their educational value to the students, and their social value.
  • The committee will consider the sponsor's previous experience with the ENGS 89/90 course sequence in the event of a tie.

Expectations

  • Those sponsors who are awarded a waiver are expected to contribute the same level of engagement, advice, and budget support as all other sponsors.

Become a Sponsor