Conference Session

Design in Freshman Year

Collection

2004 Annual Conference

Authors

Anita Mahadevan-Jansen; Christopher Rowe

disciplines, their interdependencies, and the various career opportunities forengineering graduates. In the past, VUSE has done little beyond standard coursework to activelyengage students in self-discovery of their own talents and how they mesh with a specificengineering discipline. What was needed was an intense, interactive program that allowsstudents to educate themselves with what the various fields of engineering are, their similaritiesand differences, and which of those areas are more closely aligned with their own interests. Theintroductory engineering course was selected as an ideal forum to implement this program.In 1989, VUSE launched an innovative introductory course that focused on exposing students tocomputing tools that many had never

Conference Session

ABET Criterion 4 and Liberal Education

Collection

2004 Annual Conference

Authors

Dana Elzey; Dan Bauer; Paxton Marshall; Kathryn Neeley

curriculum combining depth through disciplinary studies and breadth throughinterdisciplinary experiences that ensures that all our students have the knowledge and leadershipskills to be successful in their careers and productive citizens.” The strategic plan further asserts,“Engineers do not act in isolation. It is imperative that we expose our students to the real-worldchallenges and constraints facing engineers.” In summary, then, the EIC initiative allowed us tobuild on existing strengths within our school and to achieve one of the school’s most importantstrategic objectives. Page 9.555.5 Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for