For updates, on MBU 2021 please fill out this form to be on our mailing list
If you have questions about blue cards from a previous MBU, please email apo-bluecards@wpi.edu, and we will try to sort out any problems as quickly as we are able to.
If you have any questions about MBU, please email mbu@wpi.edu. Please allow time for responses, as all of the organizers of this event are student volunteers. We are all students first, and we ask that you respect our decision to keep our education a priority. We will respond to all questions as quickly as time permits.
We would also appreciate any help from Volunteers and Scouters to assist teaching and sitting in on badges. If you would like to assist, please email mbu@wpi.edu with your name, troop number, council, and a copy of your Youth Protection Certificate available at my.scouting.org as well as the badge(s) you would be interested in assisting.
We thank you for your continued service to Scouting and helping the brothers of Alpha Phi Omega, Omicron Iota, host Merit Badge University here at WPI.
~The Brothers of the Alpha Phi Omega - Omicron Iota Chapter
| Period 1 | Period 2 | Period 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship in the Community | Art | Citizenship in the World |
| Communication | Citizenship in the Nation | Communication |
| Engineering | Chess | Environmental Science |
| Geology | Digital Technology | Game Design |
| Music | First Aid | Pioneering |
| Programming | Space Exploration | Theater |
| Highlighted: Eagle Required |
Before registration opens, please prepare a list of first choice and second choice badges for each period so that we are prepared to place you into a badge you are interested in even if your first choice is full.
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The WPI Merit Badge University (MBU) is a two weekend long course where scouts have the opportunity to learn new skills and earn exciting Merit Badges. As this MBU is held on the WPI campus, we have access to many resources that enable us to offer cool and exciting STEM related badges. The scouts are also introduced to the college environment, and some classes get to see up close the top-of-the-line labs and facilities here at WPI. This MBU is organized and run by the local Alpha Phi Omega Chapter at WPI, and the vast majority of our volunteers are students here on campus.
Alpha Phi Omega is an international co-ed service fraternity with active chapters on over 300 college campuses worldwide. The fraternity was founded in 1925 by Scouts who believed the ideals of scouting can make the world a better place. What started as an organization of men with scouting ties has since expanded to accept any college student willing to promote Alpha Phi Omega's mission and values.
Our chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, the Omicron Iota chapter, was founded in 1964 and has always had close ties with the local Boy Scouts. We frequently volunteer to do service projects at local scout camps, such as Camp Resolute and Treasure Valley, and have been organizing this MBU for the past few years.
We had multiple reasons for moving MBU to the fall: there are at least three other MBUs in the area in the spring that usually conflicted with ours, there have been issues with snow and other inclement weather, and there are fewer events on campus in the fall that could conflict with booking rooms for MBU.
If our payment site claims that you are to be charged $0, you do NOT need to pay! Our payment site does not handle charging $0 well, and will return an error if you submit credit card information. Do not worry; your information is not recorded by our system in the event of an error.
We are now maintaining a mailing list for all scouts that want to know more about future MBUs. Please fill out this Google Form survey to be added to the list. You will need to fill out this survey after each MBU, as it will be purged yearly to avoid sending unnecessary emails. Those on the list will be notified prior to a purge.
Of course! Scouts from any council are welcome, no matter how far away you are. Everyone registers the same way, so the only difference is how you might receive your blue cards. (Some councils accept electronic blue cards, while some only accept the traditional paper ones)
Yes, scouts must attend both dates to complete a badge. There are NO single-date badges offered.
No, the WPI MBU is permanently moving to the fall, and there will no longer be an MBU in the spring at WPI.
We will be emailing all scouts with the list of badges they will be taking in early October, when we finalize the class lists.
Unfortunately, we have had many more scouts request certain badges than we can accomodate in those classes. Scouts who did not get into either of their top choices for a particular block will have a free period during that block. A room has been set aside for this purpose, and games will be provided.
Please contact us at mbu@wpi.edu, and we will respond as soon as we are able. Please note that we are all student volunteers, and we ask that you respect our decision to keep our education a priority. We will get back to you as soon as we are able.
Please DO NOT send requests for badge changes over email. All badge change requests will be handled through this form. Badge change confirmations will be emailed out every Sunday. Please note that requesting a change does NOT guarantee the change will be made. The deadline for badge change requests is October 29th. Due to the volume of scouts attending we will not be handling badge change requests during the days of MBU, please plan accordingly.