A Service Learning Program for CSE Students

We describe a service-learning program within the CSE department at the University of Notre Dame. Started in 1997 as the first affiliate of the Purdue EPICS program, this service-learning program involves volunteer faculty-mentored teams of students applying engineering skills in local, national, and international consulting projects for various community, educational, and not-for-profit organizations. Student-led teams, functioning as small engineering consulting firms, participate in identifying and selecting potential consulting engagements followed by the delivery of solutions to those clients. We describe 1) our unique adaptation of the EPICS model 2) supporting resources, and 3) a review of computer science centric education in multidisciplinary service engineering projects. The practical considerations of real world project management, client interaction, and liability are discussed in correlation with recent service projects undertaken by the students. Advice for interested educational institutions for developing their own engineering service learning program is presented.