International Engineering Education: What Difference Does It Make?

As recently retired Executive Director of the International Engineering Program (IEP) at the University of Rhode Island, the author has studied several IEP alumni to determine what difference their international education has made for the progression of their engineering careers. Each earned both engineering and language degrees (BS/BA) and each spent an entire undergraduate year abroad. What skills did they acquire? How have their bilingualism and their study and work experiences abroad impacted their lives and careers, when viewed from their current status as practicing professionals?