Purdue sees increase in women engineers in EPICS Learning Community program

More than 50 percent of the students enrolled in the Engineering Projects in Community Service program are women, a first for the organization.

First-year students in EPICS — an academic program with an enrollment of about 400 students per semester — can join the EPICS Learning Community, sponsored by Boeing. As members, students can work alongside upperclassmen to design engineering-based solutions to needs within the local and global communities. The program has grown to become an international model for engineering education and community engagement.

The learning community offers a shared residence experience, three common classes, outside-of-class activities and mentoring. This fall, 120 students are enrolled in the learning community.

Students take a course taught by William Oakes, an engineering education professor and EPICS director. They also enroll in one of several EPICS-related courses and a small class in either English or communications. The combination helps new students transition to Purdue and explore different engineering disciplines.

To achieve the goal of increasing diversity in engineering, organizations need to set their sights on gender balance, Oakes said. EPICS has a history of attracting higher percentages of women because it offers a combination of community context for design work and the opportunity to gain real-life experience.