Enrollment 5,922 324Engineering Graduate Enrollment 1,549 33Student/Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1Carnegie Foundation Classification RU/VH DRUCampus Size 2,600 acres 350 acresSetting Primarily Residential Highly ResidentialLocation Mid-Atlantic New EnglandTechnical Background and GoalsIt had been demonstrated through extensive research over the past two decades that microwaveheat treatments could lead to reduced processing times4, lower processing
following the design method taught in class.In this paper, the authors will describe the rationale, pedagogical choices, and administrativetasks involved in providing a design-related service learning experience for first-year students onsuch a large scale. Excerpts from students’ reflection essays are presented as anecdotal evidencethat the proposed program assisted students in achieving the course objectives and learningoutcomes.1. Offering a First Year Engineering Design Experience on a Large Scale1.1 Context: “Exploration of Engineering Design”The context for this paper is a required introductory course for first-year engineering students ofVirginia Tech. Virginia Tech is a large mid-Atlantic land-grant university; the engineeringcollege is its