Faculty members and students from various organizations met last night to discuss study abroad and foreign language opportunities in the Engineering School that are part of a recent initiative encouraging Engineering students to gain international experience.
Sponsored by the Engineering School International Programs Office, the University's International Studies Office and Student Council's Academic Affairs Committee, the meeting highlighted the need for Engineering students to share the same international opportunities as students in the University's other undergraduate schools.
Currently Engineering students' schedules are designed with little room for international travel, said Dana Elzey, associate professor of materials science and engineering. In pursuing a rigorous engineering curriculum students are often forced to leave out language or international studies.
According to a recent Student Council survey discussed at the meeting, 54.3 percent of Engineering students surveyed expressed an interest in studying abroad for a semester.
"There is an amazing amount of momentum for Engineering students to get internationally involved," Elzey said, noting that Engineering students currently have the opportunity to study abroad during January Term or the summer.
Engineering students can gain international experience in other ways, such as participating in international internships, pursuing research projects or traveling with the Semester at Sea program, explained J. Milton Adams, vice provost for academic programs.
Student Council's survey also revealed that Engineering students often do not benefit from language study opportunities offered on Grounds, finding that 83.3 percent of Engineering students surveyed have not taken a foreign language class at the University. Unlike students in the College of Arts & Sciences, Engineering students are not required to complete four semesters of a foreign language. Of those surveyed, 40.2 percent indicated that they had attempted to register for a foreign language class but had been denied access.
In response to the initiative, the College is trying to make foreign languages more accessible to Engineering students, according to Student Council Reps. Chris Belyea?, Matt Fifer and Marisa Roman.
Elzey noted Student Council representatives have been working closely with members of the Engineering School faculty to improve "the access of engineering students to Spanish courses."
This pilot program guarantees a number of seats in Spanish classes for Engineering students, he explained.
Based on results from the survey, Spanish was chosen for the program because of its "higher demand" from Engineering students, Fifer said. As a result of this initiative, Spanish classes of all levels will be available to Engineering students for the spring 2008 semester.
Though the program is beginning with Spanish, its developers said they hope to see other languages included in the future.
"It's a small step, but we feel it's going to get bigger," Roman said.
Belyea added that the plan is intended to benefit the entire University community.
Engineering students who were able to study abroad during their time at the University were present at the meeting to share the details of their experiences.
According to fourth-year Engineering student Marin Odioso, traveling abroad to Sweden provided her with research experience that met her interests and ultimately supplemented her senior thesis.
Other students such as third-year Engineering student Ana Jemec and fourth-year Engineering student Patrick Giesecke shared similar sentiments about their travel abroad experiences.
"It's all about talking and meeting with your advisor," Jemec said. "Definitely be thinking about it continuously [and early]. You can make it work."
Student Council representatives and Engineering School faculty present at the meeting said they will continue to work to make study abroad and language opportunities more accessible to Engineering students.
"Right now it is moderately difficult for Engineering students to study abroad," Elzey said. "We want to make it more doable for anyone who wants to do so"
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