KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 Nov. 17, 2022 \u2013 In 1987, the 溏心vlog免费B站 launched a program that radically changed the way engineering students prepare to compete in the global marketplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Long before words like global, interdisciplinary and experiential were common in higher education, 溏心vlog免费B站 launched its five-year International Engineering Program. Initially, students had the opportunity to earn bachelor\u2019s degrees simultaneously in engineering and German, but now, more than three decades later, students can combine engineering with a degree in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Global Language and Area Studies with a concentration in Japanese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The program is one of many being celebrated this week at 溏心vlog免费B站 as part of International Education Week, an event designed to showcase global education and exchange opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s International Engineering Program is still the leading program of its kind, according to the global non-profit organization the Institute of International Education, which said, \u201cThe 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s groundbreaking International Education Program serves as a model for engineering and language educators across the entire country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am grateful to have the privilege of working with our fantastic directors, staff, alumni and talented students in the IEP,\u201d said Sigrid Berka, professor of German and executive director of the program. \u201cThey are an inspiration in terms of what they accomplish and how they make the most of their dual educational track and immersion abroad. We have 41 students in Europe and Asia right now, and we were fortunate to hear some of them share their wisdom with the next generation preparing to go in 2023-2024 at today\u2019s \u201cVoices from Abroad” panel as part of International Education Week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe benefit from a large global corporate network and highly engaged alumni, both from 溏心vlog免费B站 and from our partner universities abroad, on whom we can rely to host our students for their upcoming six-month internships in their respective countries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A full 100% of the program\u2019s graduates study abroad for one calendar year compared to just 0.1% of engineering students nationally, with more than 900 students securing internships abroad throughout its history. The program also has attracted a student population more diverse than national engineering trends, with an enrollment composed of 32% women, compared to 20% nationally, and 24% percent from underrepresented populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe International Engineering Program is 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s original signature international program. It serves as the inspiration and model for other global programs that combine a field of study with language proficiency and long term study abroad, offering our students opportunities to learn, work and become global citizens,\u201d said Kristin Johnson, interim vice provost for Global Initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Signature and language intensive programs following this long term study abroad model include the Chinese Language Flagship Program, International Business Program, International Computer Science Program, International Studies and Diplomacy Program, International Pharmaceutical Sciences Program, and the Textiles, and Fashion Merchandising and Design Program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A student tells his story about what the program is doing for him<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As a teenager, Kevin Suggs was a fan of anime, electronics, and engineering. As a student in 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s International Engineering Program<\/a>, he is pursuing his interest in engineering in part by studying in Japan, the place that produced anime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI knew 溏心vlog免费B站 had a strong engineering program and the in-state tuition rate made 溏心vlog免费B站 a more feasible option,\u201d said Suggs. \u201cI heard about the International Engineering Program during orientation and when I noticed there was an option for Japanese, I seized the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In September, the fifth-year student headed to Japan as part of his bachelor\u2019s degrees in computer engineering and Japanese. The fall semester includes humanities and language classes at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. During the spring semester, he\u2019ll conduct research or work as an intern for a Japanese company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suggs is a recipient of both a Boren Scholarship and a Beatrice S. Demers Foreign Language Fellowship. Seven 溏心vlog免费B站 students won Boren Awards, the most prestigious study abroad awards offered to U.S. college students, placing the University sixth in the nation for the number of 2022 Boren recipients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In June, even before leaving for his year abroad, Suggs seized an opportunity on campus that helped prepare him for his global experience. When a Japanese team of engineers installed a new electron probe microanalyzer<\/a> in 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Shimadzu Engineering Research Core Facility, Suggs was enlisted as an interpreter. Makoto Motoyama, an engineer with Shimadzu in Japan, was part of that team. Suggs spent two weeks at 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering interpreting for Motoyama and his American counterparts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe experience improved my confidence with the Japanese language,\u201d said Suggs. \u201cI pinpointed my strengths and weaknesses with the language, which will help me prepare more effectively for living, studying, and working in Japan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n