The Engineering Experience

When deciding on colleges, having access to study abroad experiences was important to me. Purdue offers ample opportunities to study abroad, so along with all the other reasons I loved Purdue, I knew it was the right school for me. By the time I graduate, I will have participated in at least three Purdue study abroad programs, and I want to take a moment to reflect on and share my experiences and takeaways while also highlighting everything Purdue has to offer. Some of my time abroad has counted toward my minor, and others toward class credit, but I truly couldn’t speak more highly about any of my experiences. GEARE I am earning a min or in Global Engineering Studies through the Global Engineering Alliance for Research and Education (GEARE). To complete this program, students must take 12 credits of foreign language courses, complete both a domestic internship and an internship or research experience abroad, study abroad for a semester, and participate in a global design team project. ...

Over spring break, I went to Ireland for 10 days for the Medical Device Development and Manufacturing Tour in Ireland study abroad. The class I took was through the biomedical engineering program and was offered as a Short Term Engineering Program (STEP). STEPs abroad allow for shorter international experiences and provide an alternative to being abroad for an entire semester. Dublin, Ireland My Class Through the study abroad program, I earned 3 credits for BME 49500. For engineering majors with a “technical elective” requirement, this class can potentially fulfill that. In addition to our week in Ireland, we had two class sessions before the trip to get us ready and one afterward to reflect on everything we’d experienced. Leading up to the trip, we gave presentations on Irish culture and the country’s medical field. We also wrote essays on those same topics, which made up a big part of the class component of the program. Through our assignments and class sessions, I was really excited...

When I first came to Purdue, I faced a lot of fears. How would I adjust from high school classes to college courses? Would I be able to balance my physical and mental health in a new environment? Could I thrive both academically and socially? While these fears were valid and I certainly didn’t have all the answers the moment I stepped onto campus, Purdue’s numerous resources provided the support I needed to succeed. Let’s look at some of my favorite campus resources so you too can be set up for success at Purdue! Academic Resources Supplemental Instruction Sessions and Office Hours While lectures cover a lot of material, I needed extra academic support for certain topics. Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions were a great opportunity to strengthen my understanding. These group study sessions, led by undergraduate students who have excelled in the course, typically accompany most First Year Engineering (FYE) classes. They focus on working through practice problems and reviewing content...