Envisioneering: preparing engineers for the professional challenges of industry in the 21st century

Penn State's Leonhard Center for Innovation and Enhancement of Engineering Education was established in 1991 as a national leader in revolutionizing engineering education. A major program of the Leonhard Center, Envisioneering, takes a novel approach to educating engineering students in skill areas that will be critical for professional success in industry of the next century. The Leonhard Center is identifying industrial needs and developing educational programs that teach students applicable skills. The intent is to graduate engineers who are able to quickly assume leadership positions in technical environments and exploit opportunities that exist in today's highly competitive global markets. Envisioneers are trained to be innovators-individuals able to generate and implement creative ideas in ways that add value to their sponsor organizations. While students learn skills related to innovation and professional engineering practice through training sessions, they also apply the skills immediately by working in teams on education-related projects for the Leonhard Center. Industry leaders have enthusiastically endorsed the combination of training programs and project experience because of the value it adds to students from an industrial perspective. This paper reports on some of the activities that Envisioneers have undertaken to date, the effects that these activities have had on students, and describe some of the critical factors that have made the program highly successful in a short period of time.