Competing With
Domestic Co-ops
Providing affordable
international opportunities for
engineering students

Presenters
Catherine Donohoe
Career Advisor, Engineering Co-op & Career
Services, University of Maryland
Daniela Ascarelli
Assistant Vice Provost for International Programs,
Director, Drexel Study Abroad, Drexel University
Angela Shaeffer
Director, Program Development, Cultural Vistas

Tell Us About Yourself
What is your role?
• Campus Education Abroad Administrator
• Engineering School/ Department Faculty or Staff
• Study Abroad Provider Administrator
• Resident Director
• Other
What international programming do you
currently offer engineering students?
• What successes have you had? What are your concerns?
Questions you hope we will address today

Today’s Session
1) Engineering Students and Programs
2) Career Services Perspective -
Employment of Engineering Students
and Graduates
3) Developing international internship and
research opportunities for Engineers as a
University or as a Provider Organization
4) Finding Funding
5) Bring it home – what can your institution
do?

A Tale of Two Universities
University of Maryland
• Public Research
University in College
Park, MD
• >26,000 undergraduate
• >10,000 graduate
• 15 colleges & schools
• ~250 academic
programs
Drexel University
• Private Research
University in
Philadelphia, PA
• >16,000 undergraduate
• >8,000 graduate
• 15 colleges & schools
• ~200 degree programs

Where Are Drexel STEM
Students?
• College of Engineering
• College of Computing
and Informatics
• College of Arts and
Sciences
• School of Biomedical
Engineering

Where are STEM students at the
University of Maryland?
Colleges with STEM majors:
• A. James Clark School of
Engineering
• Agriculture & Natural Resources
• Behavioral & Social Sciences
• Architecture, Planning &
Preservation
• Public Health
• Robert H. Smith School of
Business

• Largest private engineering college in US
• 660 BS degrees granted
• ABET accredited BS programs:
Chemical Engineering
Civil, Architectural & Environmental Engineering
Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Materials Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

840 BS degrees granted annually
ABET accredited BS programs:
Aerospace Engineering
Bioengineering
Chemical and Bio-molecular Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Fire Protection Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

Competing with
Domestic Co-ops:
A Career Services
Perspective
Catherine Donohoe
Career Advisor
Engineering Co-op & Career Services
University of Maryland

Employment Outlook for
Engineering Students
• Employment outlook and salaries for engineering
students
• Entry level full time and internships/ co-ops
• Glossary: Internship and Co-op

Entry-level Salaries
Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
September 2014 Student Survey

Entry-level Salaries
Average Starting Salary for Entry Level Full Time
Position
Computer Science: $62,103
Engineering: $62,891
Other Math/ Sciences: $44,299
Overall (average of all majors): $48,707
Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
September 2014 Student Survey

Entry-level Salaries - Engineers
Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
September 2014 Student Survey

Entry-level Salaries by Industry

What do employers value?
Source: NACE, The Job Outlook for The Class of 2014

I say co-op, you say…
Internship
• 2-3 months full time during
summer break
• May continue part time
during the semester
• Does not delay graduation
• Basic exposure to company
• Depth and breadth of
responsibility vary
Co-op position
• 6-9+ months full time during
summer and semester
• May include rotation over
multiple years
• Usually extends time to
graduation
• In depth exposure to 1+ areas
of company
• Usually a higher level of
responsibility

Long-term benefits of co-op/
intern experience
• Employers look for technical experience on
resume
• Likelihood of conversion to full time
employee
• In 2014, companies extended full time offers to
64.8% of their former interns, 56.8% of former
co-ops (according to NACE Survey of Employers)
• Improved employee retention

Intern/ Co-op Salaries
• Average wage for engineering co-op or intern positions =
$20/ hour
• Benefits may include social activities, paid holidays, service
time and relocation assistance/ housing stipend
• Potential summer income for an engineering intern:
Gross Wages and
Earnings
$20 * 40 hours/ week * 12 weeks $9600
Housing Stipend/
Relocation
Varies – estimate $2500
Rent, food Varies - estimate -$3500
Income (before taxes) $8600

Program Models for
STEM Students
Daniela Ascarelli
Assistant Vice Provost, Intl Programs
Director, Study Abroad
Drexel University

Engineering Curriculum
• ABET = Accrediting body for schools of
engineering
• Criterion 3 Student Outcomes
• Technical Skills and “Soft” Skills
• How does ABET view experiential learning
• Approval by program
• For credit or not

Drexel University
• Located in Philadelphia
• 25,000 total students
• 14,000 UG students
• 4,600 GR students
• A co-op institution, where over 90% of all students
participate in three 6 month co-ops.
• A quarter school whereby students are obligated to
Drexel 12 months/year after their 1st summer

Program Models for STEM Students
Less than full term
opportunities
• Global Classrooms
• Intensive courses
abroad
• International
experiences
Full-term opportunities
• Research focused
programs
• Exchange programs
• Study + Co-op
opportunities
• Dual degree programs

Less than Full Term Options
Global Classrooms
• Allows a “glocal” focus
• Mimics ‘real’ world
collaboration
• Gateway to more
immersive
opportunities
Intensive course abroad
• Take advantage of short
intersessions
• No extra tuition cost for
students
• Opportunity to liaise with
partners
• Seen as not interfering
with regular classes

More Short Term Options
International Experiences
• Faculty supervised and/or driven,
not for credit
• Often times service oriented in
nature
• Frequently take place during
term breaks
• Thai Harvest
• Initiated by DU faculty
member in MEM
• Global Brigades
• Various Brigades,
focusing on variety of
topics
• BSN to Paraguay
• Engineers without Borders

Research focused programs
• Opportunity to work with partners and increase
research collaboration
• Frequently driven by faculty interest
Bochum
• For CHEME and MEM students
• Classes co-taught by Drexel and Bochum
faculty
• Includes a research course

Research focused programs
• Opportunity to work with partners and increase
research collaboration
• Frequently driven by faculty interest
Bioko
• ENVS focused program, popular with Bio
students as well
• Two research courses, including a 6 credit
research capstone project
• Classes taught by Drexel faculty or
Drexel hired adjuncts.
• Students are in courses with local
students.

Study + Co-op Opportunities
• Tend to be longer in
nature, up to a full
academic year
• Allows students to truly
immerse themselves
abroad
• Provides the best of both
worlds!
• UAS7– study+co-op
opportunity,
possibility of paid
internship.
• Tohoku– 12 months,
co-op opportunity is
in a lab. Unpaid
positions

Exchange Programs
• Bilaterals
• Consortium
• GE3
• Michigan’s SJTU Joint
Institute
• UAS7
• Study + co-op
• English language terms
• Sapiens
• ICAI/ UPComillas, Spain
• Spring term, designed in
conjunction with Univ of
Illinois
• FAME program
• ENSEA, France

Dual Degree Programs
EAGLES
• 3 countries– Spain, Italy and the
US
• 2 degrees– Drexel and Polimilano
• For engineers interested in energy
issues
• Majority of students have been in
an accelerated BS/MS program
PKUSZ in Shenzen
• Aimed at ENVE engineers.
• One year at Drexel, one
year at PKUSZ
• Either one term exchange or full
year with dual degree
• Issues gaining traction

STEM & Program
Development
Angie Shaeffer
Director
Program Development
Cultural Vistas

Catalysts for
STEM Program Development
• 16% of American high school
students are interested in STEM
• Only half of college students who
study STEM pursue STEM-relevant
careers
• President Obama’s STEM Goals:
• develop, recruit, and retain 100,000
excellent STEM teachers over the
next 10 years
• asked colleges and universities to
graduate an additional 1 million
students with STEM majors.
• improvements in STEM education
will happen only if Hispanics,
African-Americans, and other
underrepresented groups in the
STEM fields—including women,
people with disabilities, and first-
Source: www.ed.gov/stem generation Americans—participate.

U.S. Department of State
2015 STEM Initiatives
• Federal Five-Year Strategic Plan for STEM Education
• STEM Innovation Proposal: $170 million in new funding that will help to
train the next generation of innovators. Key activities include:
• STEM Innovation Networks ($110 million): grants to school districts in
partnership with colleges, and other regional partners to transform STEM
teaching and learning by accelerating the adoption of practices in P-12 education
that help to increase the number students who seek out and are well-prepared
for postsecondary education and careers in STEM fields.
• STEM Teacher Pathways ($40 million): provide competitive awards to high-quality
programs that recruit and train talented STEM educators for high-need
schools.
• National STEM Master Teacher Corps ($20 million): identify, refine and share
models to help America's best and brightest math and science teachers to make
the transition from excellent teachers to school and community leaders and
advocates for STEM education. The program will enlist, recognize and reward a
national corps of outstanding STEM educators to help improve STEM teaching
and learning in their schools and communities.

Cultural Vistas: STEM Programs
Organizational Mission: To provide experience
for the global workforce.
Current Undergraduate Program Models
Funded
• STEM LAUNCH
• Funded by The Halle
Foundation
• Partnership with Spelman
& Morehouse Colleges
• Cultural Vistas
Fellowship
• Summer Internship in field
of sustainability
• Targets all
underrepresented students
Fee-based
• IAESTE
• International Association
for the Exchange of
Students with Technical
Experience
• Research- and work-based
• Internships Abroad
• Students placed in
internships of interest
(some paid)

University of Waterloo Co-op
Program
Co-operative Education Structure:
•6500-7000 students per term on work term
•80% in Canada, 10% in USA, 10% in rest of world
•academic and work terms integrated to promote career- focused and
applied learning
•students complete professional development courses online while on
work terms using work experience as basis for course engagement
(A=semester 1, B=semester 2, WT=work term)
FALL WINTER SPRING/SUMM
ER
Year 1 1A 1B WT1
Year 2 2A WT2 2B
Year 3 WT3 3A WT4
Year 4 3B WT5 4A
Year 5 WT6 4B A=semester 1;
B=semester 2;
WT=Winterterm
RequiredCourses:
PD1: Co-op Fundamentals
PD 2: Critical Reflection and
Report Writing
PD20: Engineering
Workplace Skills I:
Developing Reasoned
Conclusions
PD21: Engineering
Workplace Skills II:
Developing Effective Plans
Elective Courses:
PD3: Communication
PD4: Teamwork
PD5: Project Management
PD6: Problem Solving
PD7: Conflict Resolution
PD8: Intercultural Skills
PD9: Ethical Decision Making
PD22: Professionalism and
Ethics in Engineering Practice
Professional
Development
Program Schedule

IAESTE: Research Internship
Placement Approach
• 65+ years, ~345,000 alumni around the world
• Compensated internships; scholarships available for U.S.
participants
• 2012 stats:
• Students on traineeships: 3951
• Employers offering traineeships: 2795
• Universities sending students: 931
• Challenges
• Placements take time (PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE)
• Best for students who are comfortable with less on-the-ground
support
• Best fit for student experientially

IAESTE Participant Emma W.
Mechanical Engineering Major
Placement: Bosnia, PetrolInvest
• “One of the upsides of working in a
relatively small company was the
close relationships shared by the
different departments. For example, if
we needed to clarify or make changes
to a design we were able to talk to the
other departments in person. The
collaborative energy was evident.
Even though the work atmosphere
was less rushed and stressed than
how I’ve found it in America,
everything was still finished on time.
At the office, my coworkers were glad
to have me around and liked to hear
about the different plans I had for the
weekends.”

STEM LAUNCH:
Career Exploration Study Tour
Approach
• More likely to pursue graduate study (~85%
would consider a higher degree in STEM
because of the program)
• Greater awareness of career pathways (95%)
• Understand value of an international
experience (~90%)
• Likelihood of going abroad again: 100%
• Gain practical intercultural skills: 100%
• Better understanding of international business
and research cooperation (~90%)
• Develop skills that complement academics
(~88%)
(Source: STEM LAUNCH Post-Program Surveys
2013 & 2014 Programs)

STEM LAUNCH
Relevant Reactions
• It is important to open your horizons; one may never know
the many abundant opportunities that are available if they
do not step out of their comfort zone and explore. (Spelman
College, Chemistry/Chemical Engineering ’15 Major)
• This experience has opened my eyes to having a career
internationally and being involved in foreign engagements.
Being a consultant, I would love to travel to Germany again
to work alongside one of the companies we visited.
(Morehouse College, Industrial Engineering/Applied Physics
’16 Major)

Vision to Reality
An Advisor’s Perspective for
Pursuing Programming
• Revisiting program portfolios
• Individual students vs. structured programming
• Strategic planning
• Less the “why,” more the “how”
• Involving offices across organization and/or campus
• MOUs: Legacies, creating new partnerships
• Identifying partners & partnership opportunities
• Provider inquiries: What can be done?
• Develop an advising strategy

Finding Funding

Examples of Funding

Funding Options
National options
• DAAD
• Freeman Foundation– funding for
co-op in S. East Asia
• 100,000 strong
• Gilman/ Boren
• Pire/NSF/etc
Internal sources @ Drexel
• Global classroom
• $1000 faculty stipend
• ITA’s
• Assistance for faculty travel to intl
conferences.
Study Abroad scholarships
• Fall 2014 over $43000 in funding
disbursed.

Take the Discussion Home
How can you develop experiential opportunities for the
engineering students you serve?
Your Role
• Campus – Study Abroad Administrators
• Campus – Faculty
• Funding Organizations
• Providers – Administrators
• Providers – Resident Directors

Take the Discussion Home
How can you develop experiential opportunities for the
engineering students you serve?
Who to involve?
• Career Services
• Faculty/ Academic Advisors
• Employers
• Agencies/ Providers
• Other Resources

Take the Discussion Home
How can you develop experiential opportunities for the
engineering students you serve?
• Learning Objectives/ Goals of New Programming
• Funding Opportunities
• Logistics
• Risk Management – Health, Safety, Liability

Additional Resources
• NAFSA Underrepresentation in Education
Abroad Subcommittee
• Diversity Abroad
• IIE
• 2009 White Paper & Downloadable
Presentation: Promoting Study Abroad in
Science and Technology Fields
• NACE (National Association of Colleges and
Employers)
• Global E3 – international engineering
consortium
• Funding resources: Boren, Gilman, Provider
$$$

Questions?