Our founder, Daniel Mead, didn’t set out to become an educator. Yet the engineer’s reluctant step into the classroom would inspire a tradition of teaching and mentorship that continues to engage young minds drawn to science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). His story reminds us that when expertise meets opportunity, the ripple effects can impact generations of future professionals.
In 1904, when University of Wisconsin President Van Hise visited Chicago to recruit Mead as a faculty member, he found a successful consultant who was hesitant to take on a teaching role. Mead agreed to a one-year trial basis, with the condition that he could maintain his consulting practice. This agreement would prove to be a fortuitous compromise that established a blueprint for how today’s AEC professionals can inspire tomorrow’s STEAM pioneers—in formal classrooms or through the everyday moments of knowledge sharing that have the power to shape careers.
Our Founder’s Legacy: 30-Year Professor & Celebrated Mentor
What began as a temporary arrangement evolved into a 30-year journey that left an enduring impression on the university and its engineering students. Mead stepped into his professorial position in 1904 as head of the Department of Hydraulics and Sanitary Engineering. He also established the Water Science and Engineering Laboratory (WSEL) in 1905. The first laboratory of its kind at an American engineering school, WSEL provided hands-on learning where students could see hydrologic principles in action.
One of Mead’s most enduring legacies throughout his professorial career was his unwavering commitment to ethics in engineering, a passion he developed during his early years as an engineer. This real-world experience infused his popular “Contracts, Specifications, and Engineering Relations” course with authentic wisdom that resonated with his students. Among them was a bright, enterprising student named Henry Hunt, whose talent and character impressed Mead enough to invite his protégé to join him in building the firm that would become today’s Mead & Hunt.
A former student, Adolph J. Ackerman, later wrote to Mead, “I assure you that one of the outstanding features of my scholastic career was the great privilege and opportunity to sit at your feet and learn from a great teacher and a great engineer.”
By the time he retired to emeritus status in 1932, Mead had earned numerous accolades, including an honorary membership in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). His emphasis on engineering ethics was so influential on the young engineers he taught that ASCE continued the Daniel W. Mead Prize (scholarship) in his honor—placing him in the company of historic luminaries like Herbert Hoover and Orville Wright. His journey from reluctant professor to celebrated mentor suggests that perhaps the greatest impact we can have is through the wisdom we share and the people we inspire.
Continuing the Tradition: Educators Making a Difference
Just as Daniel Mead brought real-world experience into the classroom over a century ago, today’s AEC leaders who step into mentorship and teaching roles carry forward this meaningful tradition. They provide a bridge between textbook knowledge and practical application, sharing core principles and wisdom from the field.
Participating in mentorship and teaching opportunities nationwide, our colleagues inspire students with stories of actual projects, real-life challenges, and innovative solutions. Like Mead before them, these educator-practitioners recognize that valuable lessons often come from sharing their triumphs and setbacks, passing on knowledge of how to improve what came before.
“Education can inspire. I try to draw out my students’ passion by making what I teach exciting. None of us get to where we want to be on our own. We are shaped by influencers, supported by mentors, and informed by the world around us. My goal is to share my excitement, connect students to the industry, and open them up to a new world of career possibilities.”
– Kevin Spitz, Engineering Manager, Adjunct Professor at the University of Illinois
Educators create ripple effects of influence. Each student they inspire and the real-world insight they share helps shape the next generation facing tomorrow’s challenges. In this way, our colleagues’ devotion to mentorship and teaching honors Mead’s legacy while writing their own chapters in the ongoing story of 125 years of excellence.
“I was very lucky to have amazing mentorship when I was entering the field of archaeology as an undergraduate student, and I’ve seen how much of a head start those mentors afforded me. Since then, I have aimed to repay that mentorship, by passing it on to the next generation. Working with students in the field and the lab have been some of the most enjoyable parts of archaeology.”
– Colleen Betti, Project Archaeologist
When our colleagues step away from their desks to teach and mentor students, they pass on the problem-solving mindset that distinguishes top talent in the AEC industry. Through their examples, students understand the importance of protecting the environment and our communities because there’s more to the profession than mathematical precision or technical innovation.
“Teaching at Western Michigan University has allowed me to share knowledge with students about airport planning and how the aviation industry works beyond the walls of academia. I find it personally rewarding when I get student feedback on their course surveys that say things like, ‘Thanks for sharing a side of the industry that I had no idea even existed.’ Those comments tell me that it’s worth the time to juggle teaching with my career at Mead & Hunt.”
– Stephanie Ward, Aviation Planning Manager, Adjunct Professor at Western Michigan University
Today, our industry faces obstacles and opportunities that invite fresh perspectives and innovative thinking. By making mentorship and education central to our professional lives—through classroom teaching, internship programs, or mentoring younger colleagues—we multiply our impact beyond individual projects. Every time we share our knowledge and passion for this field, we have the unique opportunity to recruit the next generation of visionaries who will shape our communities, advance sustainable design, and solve tomorrow’s infrastructure challenges.
