Upsilon Pi Epsilon

About Us

History

Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) is the first and only existing international honor society in the computing and information disciplines. It was first organized at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, in 1967. The international organization now consists of chapters in various colleges and universities in North America and overseas. Florida International University (FIU) is home to the award-winning Mu Chapter of Florida, established in 2007. It is the premier student organization at FIU’s School of Computing and Information Sciences (SCIS), consisting of the largest and most active group of students majoring in the computing and information disciplines.

Purpose

It is the expressed purpose of UPE to promote the computing and information disciplines and to encourage their contribution to the enhancement of knowledge.

Mission Statement

The mission of UPE is to recognize academic excellence at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the computing and information disciplines.

The organization accomplishes this mission through programs that:

  • Enable outstanding students to obtain recognition of superior educational achievement that emphasizes the computing and information disciplines as well as liberal arts, sciences, and other professional and interdisciplinary education in the context of individual and societal responsibilities
  • Assist in maximizing the personal and professional growth of these students by financially supporting scholarships and other creative endeavors that include the discovery, integration, and application of knowledge
  • Establish significant partnerships with external constituencies interested in promoting and subsidizing high quality computing science education
  • Seek opportunities to extend individual memberships and chapter activities into additional environments yet to become identified

Guidelines and Goals

UPE is an honor society whose membership consists of outstanding undergraduate and graduate students in the computing and information disciplines. Only schools that offer a degree in the computing and information disciplines are chartered. FIU offers degree programs in computer science, computer engineering, information technology, and management information systems. Prospective student members must be working toward a degree in one of these disciplines at the time they are considered for membership.

In addition to their scholastic achievement, UPE members are chosen for distinguishing themselves as true professionals by meeting the standards of the society. Membership is limited to those who can effectively achieve its original goals. These include:

  • The recognition of outstanding talent in the computing and information disciplines
  • The promotion of high scholarship in the computing and information disciplines
  • The establishment and maintenance of high standards in the computing and information disciplines
  • The representation of the computing and information disciplines in interdisciplinary communications
  • The encouragement of individual contributions to society through the computing and information disciplines

Endorsements & Affiliations

UPE has received endorsements from the two largest computer organizations in the world, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the IEEE Computer Society (IEEE-CS). The organization is also a member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) and the International Federation of Engineering Education Societies (IFEES).

At FIU, UPE is supported by the School of Computing and Information Sciences (SCIS), the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), and the Council for Student Organizations (CSO). The honor society has also partnered with many national and local organizations. These include companies such as Google, Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, Progressive Insurance, and Ultimate Software. Locally, UPE has worked with Miami Dade County’s Public Schools, the SCIS Discovery Lab, and the Academic Success Initiative.

Awards

The Mu Chapter of Florida has been the recipient of many important awards, including “Outstanding Chapter” from the UPE National Association and “Outstanding Organization in Engineering” from FIU’s CSO. The latter has also awarded UPE with special allocations for its active membership and hosting a variety of activities. Additionally, UPE has been recognized by SCIS and FIU’s student newspaper “The Beacon” for its wide array of workshops in the areas of web development, mobile app development, hardware, data science, graphic design, and more.