Mission
To facilitate the experiential education and professional practice of Purdue University students within the academic environments of the institution and its global partners; to participate in academic research within the field of Professional Practice; and to assist the academic units with enhanced employer engagement.
Vision
To offer comprehensive services to all Purdue students, staff, faculty and employers participating in national and global Professional Practice Programs.
History
The following timeline highlights key milestones in the history of the Office of Professional Practice and Cooperative Education Programs.
2025
The Office of Professional Practice begins administering the Certificate in Innovation in Public Service.
2023
The Office of Professional Practice begins administering new industry talent pipeline certificates including the Certificate in Semiconductor and Microelectronics and the Certificate in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing.
2019
The Office of Professional Practice begins administering the Milestones Program, a series of technical skills workshops offered to all Purdue students. Milestones workshops include Intro to Electronics, Biomedical Instrumentation, Designing a Smart Watch, Finite Elements Analysis, Composites, CAD/3D Printing and Arduino.
2017
The GEARE program establishes a three-part series of courses to enhance students' global competence. Student growth is measured via the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). Average intercultural growth among GEARE students is found to be three times higher than that of students studying abroad without global competency courses.
2016
The Office of Professional Practice begins administering the Interns for Indiana Program. Donations through the Lilly organization help establish an endowment to aid startup and first-stage companies in hiring Purdue students.
2014
Psychological Sciences joins the Co-op Program.
2013
The College of Pharmacy and School of Nursing join the Co-op Program.
2012
Master's Co-op Program is initiated.
2010
The Office of Professional Practice inducts its first members into the Professional Practice Hall of Fame. The inaugural class includes James Barany (industrial engineering), Neal Houze (chemical engineering), Tom Malott (mechanical engineering), Fred Morse (mechanical engineering) and Leonard Wood (civil engineering).
2007
GEARE becomes available to students from all engineering disciplines and expands language offerings to include German, Mandarin, French and Spanish.
2006
The three-session Co-op Program is initiated to provide employers and students with greater flexibility and more opportunities.
2004
GEARE sends its first students to China for internships and study at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
2003
The Global Engineering Alliance for Research and Education (GEARE) program begins with six mechanical engineering students sent to Germany for internships and study at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
1991
The School of Education and the College of Liberal Arts join the Co-op Program.
1979
By the program's 25th anniversary, nearly 1,000 students and 400 employers are participating in the Co-op Program.
1977
The School of Consumer & Family Sciences joins the Co-op Program.
1975
Interdisciplinary engineering and the School of Technology join the Co-op Program.
1974
Nuclear engineering, the School of Agriculture, the School of Management and the School of Science join the Co-op Program.
1968
Materials engineering joins the Co-op Program.
1967
Agricultural engineering joins the Co-op Program.
1964
Aeronautical engineering joins the Co-op Program.
1960
Chemical engineering joins the Co-op Program.
1959
By April, the Co-op Program has grown to 50 employers and 161 students. Industrial engineering joins during the summer semester.
1957
Electrical engineering joins the Co-op Program.
1955
Civil engineering joins the Co-op Program.
1954
The first formal Co-op Program begins in the School of Mechanical Engineering with eight students and seven employers. The program includes five alternating work sessions beginning after completion of the student's first year.
1953
The Registrar recommends exploring the possibility of initiating a Co-op Program. A committee chaired by professor G.W. Bergren is created to study the matter.
1928
The earliest recorded attempt to establish a formal Cooperative Engineering Education Program is made. The proposal does not receive sufficient support, and the economic conditions of the time make implementation impossible.