Undergraduate GRIT+ experiential learning makes an impact

In the three years since Purdue Engineering launched GRIT+, the distinctive experiential learning initiative has expanded on several fronts, extending undergraduate education beyond the classroom and bolstering workforce development and entrepreneurism.

In the three years since Purdue Engineering launched GRIT+, the distinctive experiential learning initiative has expanded on several fronts, extending undergraduate education beyond the classroom and bolstering workforce development and entrepreneurism.

Photo of Jiyoon Im
Jiyoon Im, a junior in mechanical engineering, participates in the Learning While Working co-op at Cummins. She is mentored by Frank Husmeier, Cummins fluid mechanics global leader, and (not pictured) Veeraraghava Raju Hasti, research assistant professor in mechanical engineering. (Photo provided)

GRIT+ stands for perseverance of effort, or grit, and for Global, Research, Industry, Teamwork and More. It offers undergraduates direct experience through study and work abroad, industry co-ops and internships, research, community service, and entrepreneurial projects. Participants collaborate with students, faculty, alumni, companies, and community organizations to solve research and design problems.

“Our new statistics confirm that GRIT+ is offering a large, diverse group of students a widening array of hands-on learning options that integrate with traditional classes,” said Alina Alexeenko, associate dean for undergraduate education. “Program enrollments are growing, and opportunities are expanding to meet students’ needs – elevating GRIT+ to greater scale and impact.”

She added: “GRIT+ programs enrich, challenge, and deepen the hearts and minds of students, benefiting everyone involved. Undergraduates have incomparable opportunities to apply and develop their skills and knowledge in real-world settings, faculty and graduate students serve as mentors and advance their research, and industry partners hire and help develop premier student talent.”

Student enrollment highlights

College of Engineering analysis reveals that:

In addition, GRIT+ programs are reaching diverse students. For example, in Purdue Engineering, 83 percent of female students, 85 percent of Black/African American students, 79 percent of underrepresented minority students and 79 percent of international students who graduated in 2021 completed one or more GRIT+ activities.

Reflecting GRIT+’s increasingly interdisciplinary nature, student VIP participants in Spring 2022 represented 24 majors spanning seven colleges, up from 16 majors across four colleges in Fall 2019.

More programs, new employers

Students, faculty and employers have a growing number of ways to engage with GRIT+, in terms of programs, courses, and industry partners.

Learning While Working (LWW), piloted in Fall 2021 and officially launched in Spring 2022, provides a new co-op model that offers students a yearlong work experience while earning credit for online courses, enabling on-time graduation. More flexible than traditional programs, LWW particularly benefits students from low-income families and underrepresented groups.

These are among 2021-2022 Purdue Engineering accomplishments across all co-op and OPP programs, including LWW:

  • 1,800-plus students enrolled
  • More than 400 active employers; new partnerships with Tesla, Northrop Grumman, Eastman, ZF and Rheem
  • Through the ENGR/OPP certificate, 97 students taking 138 courses (for a total of 400-plus credits) online while on co-ops and internships
  • 245 students enrolled in OPP professional development courses – up from 88 students in the prior academic year

In other recent program enhancements, EPICS and VIP courses are now included in the plans of studies for the Integrated Business and Engineering joint major with Krannert School of Management and certain majors in the College of Education, and EPICS and VIP experiences are available to students in the Minority Engineering Program’s Engineering Academic Boot Camp.