Educating Engineers Through International Community Engagement - What's It Worth?

International experiences have been promoted to better prepare students for the global and rapidly changing society in which we live, to help them realize the impacts of engineering solutions, and to help them develop a deeper empathy for their project stakeholders, often those living in developing countries. If the international experience incorporates serving others through a project of need, it is commonly believed that the students learn on a much deeper level than through the conventional learning approach of classroom lectures, homework problems, and tests. At Michigan Technological University, international community engagement (ICE) programs founded in engineering include an international senior (capstone) design program, a student chapter of Engineers Without Borders-USA, two Peace Corps Master's International programs, community-based participatory research programs, several social enterprises, an international sustainable development certificate, and many supportive classes. More than 500 students have participated in one or more of these programs in the last 15 years, and the vast majority of those surveyed have reported greater satisfaction with their education and a deeper learning experience compared to traditional on-campus learning. A more rigorous assessment program has more recently been adopted, permitting the examination of institutional, program, and student learning outcomes, among others.