Our Program Community

Our motto in IDES & MDE, is “we educate one student at a time.” We believe that no matter the size of our student population (large or small), living by this motto has allowed us to prepare and operate exceptional educational programming and support for students of all backgrounds, interests, and learning styles, for careers in industry, government, not-for-profit, and models yet to be developed. 

Such a dynamic program is made better by the wide community of constituents who continue to offer input, feedback, and support (both financial and emotional). Influences offered by each group described below, contribute to a critical cycle of continuous improvement to help maintain our exceptional and historic place in Purdue’s fabric of engineering education.  

AlumniMDE Students with Alumnus Gobstein

Our alumni play a critical role in guiding our students and program forward, while keeping an eye on our rich educational traditions. Alumni are encouraged to connect with existing students through both in-person and virtual experiences on campus.  

Neal Evans and MDE Students

Via our community on LinkedIn, social networks are formed between students and alumni who serve as mentors, offering informal educational insights and career advice. On campus,program alums visit classrooms and the NEST to share job opportunities and professional development skills.

Alumni of the MDE program are also asked to share perspectives on the quality and impact of their education via periodic surveys. Feedback from our alumni help the program keep a listening ear for shifts in longer-term program value, as well as find ways to make the program even more respected.

Industrial Advisory Committee

The ENE Industrial Advisory Committee (ENEIAC) meet on campus twice each year as part of service to the School of Engineering Education.  During their visits, the IDES and MDE program news and metrics are presented.  Members from across industries, professional engineering programs, and alumni status offer insights into the critical needs of the industrial sector today.  Topics ranging from workforce availability and readiness, to skill and capability shortages emerge from the discussions.

In addition, the ENEIAC serve as critical constituents in assessing the workforce readiness of our overall student body.  Using the overall program outcomes articulated for the MDE program, the ENEIAC serve as regular external assessment partners, conducting face-to-face interviews with students and alumni from our program, across concentration areas.