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About the School of Science and Engineering

A Legacy of Trailblazers. A Future of Changemakers.

The Saint Louis University School of Science and Engineering, with roots dating back nearly a century, brings together aviation, chemistry, computer science, earth and atmospheric sciences, and engineering in a student-centered, research-forward, hands-on learning environment.

History of the School of Science and Engineering

A pilot pictured in the cockpit of a historic plane with the rudder reading Parks P-1 St. Louis, Ill 2019
The Parks P-1 aircraft with an OX-5, 90 horsepower engine on the Parks flightline in 1929.

We have an eye on the future but we wouldn’t be here without our storied past.

Founded by Oliver "Lafe" Parks in 1927, just two months after Charles Lindbergh's historic flight across the Atlantic, Parks College was the first federally approved school of aeronautics. During the World War II era, the aviation college and its subsidiaries were responsible for training one of every 10 Army Air Corps pilots, plus thousands of aircraft mechanics. After the war, Parks realized that future aviation leaders would need a broader, more academic education. He felt the best way to ensure this breadth was to seek affiliation with a major university. In 1946, he gave Parks College to Saint Louis University, and with that, the holder of Air Agency Certificate #1 became part of the oldest university west of the Mississippi.

Over the years, the school added programs in aircraft maintenance management, avionics engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering and civil engineering. In the fall of 1997, after seven decades in Cahokia, Illinois, the college moved into McDonnell Douglas Hall, a state-of-the-art building on the University’s St. Louis campus.

The University continues to honor the legacy of Oliver “Lafe” Parks, who donated his aviation school to SLU in 1946, through the Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science within the School of Science and Engineering.

Our Commonality

In Saint Louis University’s School of Science and Engineering, our commitment to academic excellence is intrinsically tied to our dedication to education for everyone. Throughout our history, we have consistently strived to serve all members of our community equitably, recognizing differences, and fostering mutual respect by living out our Jesuit Mission. As a cornerstone in the Saint Louis community, we aspire to be a source of innovative ideas, discoveries, and creative achievements that benefit all populations. We regard diversity, in all of its forms-ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and religion, as a fundamental component of our accomplishments. 
 
The School of Science and Engineering promotes the sharing of values, experiences, and perspectives and creating an educational environment that fosters a sense of belonging. As we prepare the next generation workforce, embark on new initiatives, and establish new partnerships, we invite everyone to actively participate in our mission to attain excellence with a measurable impact on local, national, and global communities.

Policies and Forms