Author(s):
Experiential education is becoming a more important part of STEM education. Experiences range from within the classroom to extra-curricular activities. Within experiential education, community engagement is particularly promising, given its alignment with diversity research and the leveraging of university resources to address needs within our society. One of the largest engineering engagement organizations is Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB-USA), which recently celebrated 20 years of student and community engagement. While most of the participants are engineering, they come from a wide range of disciplines and offer insights into multidisciplinary experiences that are applicable across STEM fields. The results of a recent research study show that authentic community engagement can prepare students for their later professional careers and is not confined to experiences within their disciplinary field. The authentic nature of completing a real project for real people in a community offered many benefits into a wide range of careers. Making a difference in our societies also resonated with students. Opportunities abound to leverage resources within our own institutions to help make the world in at least some small way. This presentation will explore how to integrate such experiences into our own curriculum.
