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students to Singapore and vice-versa. “So it’s a true back and forth, which is usually more affordable for our stu- dents than traditional study abroad,” Pagel said.
The greatest growth has come from shorter-term programs, such as CSE’s Global Technical Seminars. More than 100 students each year take advantage of the May and January seminars, sandwiched between semesters. Led by CSE faculty, the seminars usually run about three weeks. Students earn three credits and nancial aid and scholarships apply.
“It actually accelerates the students’ graduation because they’re adding three more credits to that year,” said Pagel. “So it shouldn’t delay anyone.”
In January 2015, CSE launched
a similar program—but just for freshmen. Held during winter break, 74 freshmen attended nine-day seminars in Hong Kong, Italy, and
Germany and Belgium. The seminars reinforced a sense of community among incoming students, gave them time to get to know faculty, helped them imagine what it would be like to work in their engineering eld, and taught them basic travel skills.
“Employers don’t necessarily say that study abroad is essential when they’re considering a candidate,” Pagel said. “But when you do ask them what’s high on the list, they often refer to things that are enhanced by going abroad—communication skills, adaptability, leadership, and team- work. I don’t think a student can expect to sit down and say, ‘I spent a semester in England; you should give me a job.’ But if they talk about the experience and what they gained from it—when they do it eloquently, it’s really an attention grabber.”
Kelsey Harper: Exploring Belgium and Germany
“My parents were all about traveling,” said Kelsey Harper, a mechanical en- gineering sophomore who traveled to London her rst trip abroad. “I don’t remember some of it because I was in second grade,” she said. “But judging by the pictures, I had a great time.”
In high school, Harper toured Spain, France, and Germany with a class and fell in love with international travel. So she jumped at the chance to go abroad again as a college freshman. She signed up for the Global Technical Seminar “Research Across the Borders in the European Union,” led by Beth Stadler, professor of electrical and computer engineering.
“I was excited to go back and see a different side of Germany,” she said.
“The seminar was a wonderful
opportunity to grow as a
person and as an engineering student. The knowledge and independence you gain from traveling can never be taught in a traditional classroom.”
— KELSEY HARPER
Kelsey Harper, second from right, and other CSE students had an opportunity to visit the Atominum, built for the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, Belgium, as part of the Winter 2015 Freshman Global Technical seminar.
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