The Engineering Experience

The summer after my first year, I spent two unforgettable weeks studying abroad in Singapore, and it was such an incredible experience that I knew I wanted to do another short-term study abroad. When I saw a program in Argentina focused on Engineering in the Southern Cone, it immediately caught my eye. I applied, got accepted, and soon found myself embarking on another amazing adventure, this time, a three-week journey through Argentina. I’d love to tell you more about it! This picture perfectly encapsulates my trip What Are Short-Term Study Abroad Programs? Before diving into my experience in Argentina, let me briefly explain Short Term Engineering Programs Abroad (STEP). These are faculty-led study abroad programs lasting between 1–6 weeks, typically offered during winter, spring, or summer breaks. The best part? You earn engineering course credits while gaining international experience. My courses in Singapore and Argentina both counted as upper-level engineering electives, meaning ...

Each year, Purdue Women in Engineering mails out hundreds of handwritten, personalized postcards along with an information handout and a sticker to each woman who has been admitted to Purdue Engineering. The designer of the current sticker is student Olivia Baehl. Olivia Baehl is a senior in Civil Engineering with concentrations in Structural and Geotechnical Engineering from Evansville, IN. She is an ambassador for the Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering as well as an active participant in the Women in Engineering Program. I sat down with Olivia and reflected with her on her experiences at Purdue. Olivia Baehl (CE '25) and the sticker she designed. Why did you choose Purdue?  “I grew up a Boilermaker, but that's not why I chose Purdue. I’ve always known that I wanted to pursue engineering and the variety of engineering disciplines that Purdue offers is what initially drew me in. I knew that I’d be able to find exactly what I wanted to choose as a career. Add...

Almost two years ago, I was in the spring semester of my first year at Purdue.  I had just found out I had been accepted into the Lyles School of Civil Engineering out of First Year Engineering and could not have been more ecstatic.  Several peers recommended that I look into scholarships through Civil Engineering, so that I did.  While searching for scholarships, one caught my eye: The Purdue Kiewit Scholars Program.   Being implemented in fall 2022, it was a new program at Purdue, sponsored by the company Kiewit, with the goal of supporting the personal and professional growth of future construction industry talent.  Being selected for this program would come with a financial scholarship as well as numerous professional growth opportunities, from mentorship to a summer internship.  Students within certain majors in the College of Engineering as well as the Purdue Polytechnic Institute would be able to apply for this program.  Once I did my research i...

Purdue has seventeen undergraduate engineering majors, which might be overwhelming when trying to decide which one you want to go into or are interested in. We put together a list of the most popular engineering majors here at Purdue and explain the type of classes you may take, possible industry options you can go into after you graduate, and any other fun facts about the majors. We also included a nine-square “mood-board” of each of the majors as a fun and creative way to show off the aesthetics sometimes associated with each major! Please note that specific majors may have different concentrations and industry opportunities, so not all concentrations or industry options are exemplified in the mood-boards. We encourage you to dive deeper into the majors you might also be interested in to learn more! Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (AAE): “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” First man on the moon, Neil Armstrong, not only said that famous phrase, b...