Pictured from left to right visiting the site of Monserrate in Bogotá, located near the UniAndes campus: Catalina De La Torre Acuña (UniAndes) Colleen Coulter (Purdue), and Lorena Méndez (UniAndes). Source: Colleen Coulter, PhD
By Colleen Coulter, PhD
More international students come to Purdue University from Colombia than any other Latin American country. Colombia continues to be a valuable incubator of talent for Purdue’s College of Engineering, as there are 70 Colombian alumni from Purdue Engineering Graduate Programs in the last five years and over 40 graduate students currently enrolled. There are also 11 current and formal global linkages between Purdue and Colombian Universities, according to Global Partnerships and Programs (GPP). With these strong connections driving international recruitment efforts, in February 2024, Dr. Colleen Coulter, Assistant Director of Graduate Recruitment in the College of Engineering in partnership with the Global Engineering Programs and Partnerships (GEPP), embarked upon a multi-stop trip through Colombia meeting with key partners and students at 7 strategic partner universities including Universidad Nacional de Colombia and Universidad EAFIT in Medellín, Universidad del Valle (Univalle) and ICESI in Cali, Universidad de los Andes (UniAndes) and Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá, and Universidad del Norte (Uninorte) in Barranquilla.
During these university visits, Dr. Coulter presented, “Graduate Engineering Studies in the U.S.: Considering Options, Preparing Applications, Securing Funding, and Realizing Student Success,” to undergraduates interested in graduate school. While engaging with prospective students about graduate engineering programs, Dr. Coulter gave insights into considerations for attending graduate school, how to prepare and apply, and what to look for when deciding on program fit. She also detailed the different types of funding available for research students in master’s and PhD students in Purdue’s College of Engineering research programs, along with opportunities to have tuition fully covered and a stipend/salary to help with living costs. Dr. Coulter also emphasized how to obtain an application fee waiver to engineering graduate programs through Fee Waiver programs including the Purdue Graduate Engineering Virtual Showcase scheduled for September 29 – 30, 2024.
In addition to visits to strategic partner universities, Purdue Graduate Engineering participated in four EducationUSA Fairs in four different cities (Bucaramanga, Cali, Pereira, and Bogotá). The STEM Fairs generated interest from over 2000 undergraduate and graduate student prospects. Prospective students were provided information on academic programs, summer research opportunities, and the Greater Lafayette community. Dr. Coulter was also able to meet some students heading to Purdue for the first time in the coming months. They were greeted with Purdue Engineering swag and excitement! Dr. Coulter was also invited to present to admissions, marketing, and information technology staff on “Best Practices in Graduate Recruitment,” during her time in Colombia. These presentations were shared at EAFIT, ICESI, and Uninorte and serve as a catalyst for future professional connections between Purdue and Colombia universities.
Purdue Graduate Engineering will continue to increase active partnerships between Purdue and institutions in Colombia to increase student and faculty mobility. Some areas of immediate interest include increasing participants from Colombia in the Purdue Graduate Engineering Virtual Showcase, arranging ways to mentor Colombian students during the graduate engineering application process, and creating shared research experiences between Purdue and Colombian institutional scholars.