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Posted on May 6, 2016May 7, 2016 by Lizzie Parsons — Leave a comment

Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Projects

Every year, the Grove City College mechanical engineering seniors work on a year-long design project to demonstrate and use the engineering knowledge they gained over the past four years. There are typically five distinct projects, each with a team of approximately eight students. Students spend the first semester designing the project and the second semester building or refining their designs. Each team is supervised and guided by an adviser throughout the design and development of the project. At the end of the year, each team presents their final design to professors, family members and project sponsors.

Because mechanical engineering is very diverse and has many different applications, every year the projects are all very different. Each project highlights a different aspect of engineering, so that each student can find a project that matches their interests. The projects for the 2015-2016 school year are described below. Check out Grove City College’s mechanical engineering website to learn more about past senior design projects.

BPMI – Control Valve Optimization

EP 2 — BPMI Test Set-Up | Photo by Sarah Logie

Grove City College has a long-standing relationship with Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. (BPMI). BPMI is a company near Pittsburgh, Pa. that contracts with the United States’ Nuclear Navy program. For the past several years, BPMI has sponsored a senior design project, typically in the area of fluid mechanics.

This year, BPMI asked the design team to optimize a control valve and provided very detailed project specifications. For this project, the team utilized 3-D modeling software and CDF software, a program that analyzes and calculates fluid flow. They also built a testing station to successfully meet BPMI’s project specifications.

Wendell August Forge – Automated Ribbon Tying Machine

Wendell August Forge is America’s oldest and largest forge that makes hand-crafted Christmas ornaments, among many other products. To replace a tedious and complicated process, Wendell August Forge asked the design team to create a machine that would automatically load and index the ornaments, while automatically tying a knot and attaching the ribbon to the ornament.

The scope of this project was very large and required a 10-person team, the largest group so far. Using 3-D modeling software and extensive mechanical prototype testing, the team was able to successfully design a machine that met Wendell August Forge’s requirements. This project required more hands-on work to build and test the machine that some of the other projects.

HVAC Missions Project – Christian Leadership University in Burundi, Africa

HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, and is a subset of mechanical engineering that deals primarily with thermodynamics, fluid flow and heat transfer. Almost every year, there is an HVAC-related senior design project. This year, the HVAC team worked to create the building plans for the Christian Leadership University building that may one day be built in Burundi, Africa. This project had a missions-based component because the team worked with contact Len Rosenberg and Ministry Architecture, Inc. Ministry Architecture, Inc. works to design buildings for ministry organizations throughout the world with the goal of advancing the Gospel.

This project is different from other projects because the team’s only deliverable was a set of HVAC design plans based on Len Rosenberg’s architectural designs. They did not have to physically build a machine or system. This project required HVAC knowledge, as well as the use of a program called Revit to create a 3-D model of the proposed building.

United Plate Glass – Automatic Kevlar Rope Winder

EP 3 — UPG Team’s Final 3-D Modeled Design

United Plate Glass (UPG) is a local company that specializes in tempered plate glass products. Part of its manufacturing process involves large rollers wrapped with Kevlar rope to prevent the glass from breaking. UPG asked the design team to create a machine that would automatically and uniformly wrap Kevlar rope around the rollers so the UPG workers no longer had to do this. Because the team’s final design is to be installed in UPG’s factory, the machine had to be production quality.

To complete this project, the team relied on 3-D modeling software, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), and machine design knowledge. Because the machine was to be installed in UPG’s factory, safety and reliability were stressed. The team was able to successfully design and build a machine that met all of UPG’s requirements.

AntBot – Ant Tracking Robot

For the past year or so, the Grove City College biology department has been tracking and studying the behavior of ants. Engineering students have even written computer code to filter and track ants’ motions. For this project, a team of both mechanical and electrical engineering students was formed to design a robot that would automatically track ants.

This project required significant knowledge of control systems and image processing because the robot had to identify the ant’s location, as well as follow it to its next position. The compute code written by engineering students in the past was improved and enhanced to better track the ant. This project required a close relationship with the electrical engineering team to successfully develop and test the robot.

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Lizzie Parsons — Leave a comment

Student Research Spotlight: Female Engineers in Anderson Lab | 4

For engineering students interested in research, there are many opportunities to get involved, both on and off campus! In fact, nearly 25% of engineering students at Grove City College are involved in some type of research or independent study. Many of these students work in ‘Anderson Lab’ with Dr. Anderson, one of Grove City College’s mechanical engineering professors. Every school year, he has 10-15 students doing research for him for 1-3 credits. He also has students working with him at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Massachusetts each summer. This semester, Dr. Anderson has 12 students working in his lab on seven different projects.

Below is an interview with one of the female mechanical engineering students currently doing research with Dr. Anderson. She shares more information on her research project and some benefits of doing research. For another interview with a student doing research with Dr. Anderson, check out this post.

Samantha Parry – Mechanical Engineering ’16, Astronomy Minor

Sam 5 — Samantha Parry in front of her summer research set-up

What’s your project?

I’m studying the effect of turbulence on oyster behavior and ecology. I am working on PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) analysis of oysters in a turbulent tank. I am analyzing data that was taken at WHOI to determine an absolute vertical velocity of oysters swimming in a turbulent tank at different turbulence levels by determining the velocity of the fluid and the relative velocity of the oyster larvae and subtracting the two using MATLAB.

How did you get involved in this research?

I applied to work in the Anderson Lab in the fall of my junior year because I went to one of his student’s research talks during sophomore year and thought the work was really interesting.

What skills (technical or non-technical) have you used the most during your research experience?

I have used the coding skills I learned as a freshman the most in my research. My research heavily involves programming in MATLAB, as well as understanding LabVIEW. Knowing MATLAB is crucial for my research’s success. It gives me the ability to generate the data result and to manipulate the data result to something everyone can understand.

What are some benefits of doing research?

Sam 2 oyster tracks processed — Processed oyster tracks

This research helped to expand my career options and gave me a chance to do high-level work on my own. I also liked learning tools to do higher-level data analysis and programming by myself, and then being able to utilize them. It’s a very rewarding feeling when all your hard work pays off and you get the correct result that you’ve been debugging for days! It has extremely enriched my career options because in the engineering field, research experience is strongly encouraged pre-grad school. Dr. Anderson’s lab experience has granted me a summer internship between my junior and senior year, and for that I am extremely thankful.

Have you done research off-campus, like at a summer internship?

I was a research assistant with a professor at FAU (Florida Atlantic University) in his research lab. He specializes in bio-inspired propulsion systems and fluid dynamics research and does a lot of similar things as Dr. Anderson. A large part of my summer I spent on an individual project building an experimental setup for fluid dynamic research.

Sam 4 Turbulence_tank_for_Oysters — Turbulence tank for Oysters from 2013 Senior Design Project

How has doing research shaped your plans for after graduation?

Doing research has taught me what it means to be in academia, and I learned that I like the lifestyle and the academic community. I am going to the University of Florida for graduate school next year for a PhD in Aerospace Engineering. Although the research topic is not the same, I have experience with researching and it gives me confidence to take this next step forward. I know that graduate admission committees selected me as a good candidate for their schools because I had research experience. I’d like to be a college professor someday, and doing research was extremely important experience required to be admitted to grad school. So for that, I am extremely thankful for this opportunity I had at Grove City College.

To learn more about Grove City College’s Mechanical Engineering program, visit the department page!

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Lizzie Parsons — Leave a comment

Student Research Spotlight: Female Engineers in Anderson Lab | 3

Abby Noll – Mechanical Engineering ‘18

What’s your project?

My project is researching the fluid dynamics of biomimetic propulsors and swimming squid. The research involves analyzing sequences of images of objects in a flow tank to determine the behavior of the water over various parts of the object. I have worked with flapping plastic strips (simulating a fish tail) and swimming squid.

What skills (technical or non-technical) have you used the most during your research experience?

Research has strengthened my problem-solving skills. The classes that I have been taking for mechanical engineering have given me a set of tools, and research is where I get to figure out how they all work and actually use them in a practical setting.

What are some benefits of doing research?

Working in the lab has given me a tangible way to apply the things I have been learning in my classes. It helps the material to stick better, and extends it far beyond a classroom setting. It has been a wonderful preparation for future internships and jobs, and I believe that getting this kind of experience early on will open up future opportunities in the research field.

Have you done research off-campus, like at a summer internship?

This past summer, I continued work on the boundary layer project, again analyzing data. I also took some new data at Harvard University.

How has doing research shaped your plans for after graduation?

I can see myself working in an area of research and development, as I have been enjoying work in the lab and would like to continue along a similar path. I love learning, and research is where new discoveries are made.

To learn more about Grove City College’s Mechanical Engineering program, visit the department page!

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Lizzie Parsons — Leave a comment

What Exactly is Engineering? – A Student’s Perspective

Eng 1 — Hoyt Hall of Engineering | Photo from www2.gcc.edu

Last weekend, Grove City College hosted its annual Junior Crimson Day, and it made me think back to when I was a junior in high school. I didn’t know where I wanted to go to college or what I wanted to study, but I was beginning to look into engineering. At that point in my college search, I really didn’t know what engineering was or what engineers did. For me, ‘engineering’ seemed to be a catch-all term for people who were good at physics in high school or liked to tear computers apart in their spare time. I didn’t even know what the difference was between electrical and mechanical engineering! After talking to many students interested in engineering, I’ve come to realize this is a common problem.

Merriam-Webster defines engineering as “the work of designing and creating large structures or new products or systems by using scientific methods.” This definition is extremely vague, and rightly so! Within engineering, there are many types of engineering – such as mechanical, electrical, chemical or civil – and each type is almost completely different. Then, to make things more complex, there are many different applications within each type of engineering. Each application utilizes different skills and areas of expertise. For example, a mechanical engineering student could go into a career in designing the heating systems for buildings, working on machines in a factory, optimizing a valve in a fluid system or even selling engineering products – and that’s just naming a few possible careers! That’s one of the best parts of engineering. The skills that engineers learn can really be applied to any type of career – technical or non-technical. There have been a lot of students who have used their engineering degree to become doctors, lawyers or businessmen.

Electrical Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering

Grove City offers degrees in electrical engineering (EE) and mechanical engineering (MECE), which are generally considered the ‘core’ types of engineering because they can be applied to almost any career field. So then, what’s the difference between electrical and mechanical engineering, besides the obvious that EE deals with electrical components and MECE deals with mechanical assemblies? Electrical engineering is more abstract and conceptual, whereas mechanical engineering is more visual and hands-on. For instance, a professor from a different school once described the difference in terms of a robot. MECE’s are responsible for designing the body of the robots so it can easily move and function reliably, while EE’s are responsible for making the robot move and controlling its motion. This definition helped me a little bit, but I still didn’t completely understand the difference between EE’s and MECE’s.

Eng 5 — Image from mechengineering.hol.es

I got a little bit more insight when I came to Grove City’s Junior Crimson Day. One of the professors here explained that, in general, electrical engineers are better at abstract concepts and tend to be very good at math (like perfect scores on the math section of the SAT’s). Mechanical engineers are also good at math, but like to be able to visualize problems and have probably grown up playing with LEGO’s and K’NEX. This explanation really helped me because I personally like to be able to visualize the forces being exerted on an object, but it’s frustrating to not be able to see what’s happening inside of a circuit or wire. Obviously, these are just generalizations about each type of engineering, but I have found that in many cases, they are true.

The main thing that influenced my decision to pick engineering was sitting in on both EE and MECE classes. It took me sitting in on one EE class to realize that it was not for me! I recommend sophomore level classes because they give a general picture of what to expect, without being completely over your head. I didn’t fully understand what was being taught in the MECE class, but I could understand the logic behind it and I identified with that way of thinking. If you’re torn between electrical and mechanical engineering, I highly recommend sitting in on some classes and talking with professors. Both are extremely helpful!

So What Exactly is Engineering?

With all of the different applications for engineering, what is the common denominator for engineering? I would argue, and most engineers would agree, that engineering is all about creative problem solving. In engineering classes, you learn how to think critically about problems and numerically develop different solutions to fix the problem. Engineering is all about weighing the options and optimizing the current resources for the best result. The problem and subsequent solution can take many different forms, but it all comes down to using problem solving skills to find creative solutions.

If you like math or science and love solving complex problems or puzzles, engineering may be a good fit for you! Engineering requires both detailed and out-of-the-box thinking to come up with the best solution for a problem. There are so many different things you can do with an electrical or mechanical engineering degree! I highly recommend talking with professors and learning about student projects to get a better idea of engineering.

Check out this link to learn more about Grove City College’s electrical engineering program or check out this link to learn more about Grove City College’s mechanical engineering program.

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Lizzie Parsons — Leave a comment

Student Research Spotlight: Female Engineers in Anderson Lab | 2

For engineering students interested in research, there are many opportunities to get involved, both on and off campus! In fact, nearly 25% of engineering students at Grove City College are involved in some type of research or independent study. Many of these students work in ‘Anderson Lab’ with Dr. Anderson, one of Grove City College’s mechanical engineering professors. Every school year, he has between 10-15 students doing research for him for 1-3 credits. He also has students working with him at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Massachusetts each summer. This semester, Dr. Anderson has 12 students working in his lab on 7 different project.

Below is an interview with one of the female engineering students who has done research with Dr. Anderson. She shares more information on her research project and some benefits of doing research. For another interview with a student doing research with Dr. Anderson, check out this post.

Kimberly Schlabach – Electrical Engineering and Mathematics ‘16

Schlabach 1 — Kimberly Schlabach – Senior Electrical Engineering and Mathematics Major

What’s your project?

Spring semester of 2015, I was involved in the ant research project – automatic tracking and monitoring ant behavior through video. My job has been to improve the particle identification portion of the ant tracking code. In other words, I have written filters to help distinguish ants from other moving particles, such as grass.

How did you get involved in this research?

In the fall, I was looking for a one credit engineering elective. I received an email from Dr. Anderson that had been sent to all the engineering students. The email was looking for students who wanted to investigate biology through engineering-based research. I thought independent research would be a fascinating way to earn a one-credit engineering elective, so I responded to the email. After the interview process, Dr. Anderson found a good fit for me in the image processing side of ant research project.

What skills (technical or non-technical) have you used the most during your research experience?

I had a basic knowledge of image analysis and programming which both served me well in my research. However, Dr. Anderson was extremely helpful and patient in teaching me the additional information I needed to know for the first part of the semester. He was also very accessible throughout the semester if I ever had questions or problems.

What are some benefits of doing research?

Before joining the Anderson Lab, I had no serious interest in research. However, working on a project that other scientists are also investigating has inspired me, and I could see myself doing research after graduation.

My favorite part of working in the lab has been brainstorming with Dr. Anderson and Dr. Mohr. Working in the lab has been very beneficial because it has helped me think outside the box, build my self-confidence and open my mind to the idea of research as a future job interest.

How has doing research shaped your plans for after graduation?

I have already accepted a non-research related job when I graduate in May. However, my research at Grove City was great experience. In just one semester, we had very positive results. I was inspired by how simple and prevalent it was to apply my engineering skills to study God’s creation. If I have the opportunity to do research in the future, I will seriously consider it.

Schlabach 5 — Research screenshots, from left to right: Without the filter, every object is identified; with the filter, two ants correctly identified; comparison with and without the filter

To learn more about Grove City College’s Mechanical Engineering program, visit the department page!

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Lizzie Parsons — Leave a comment

Student Research Spotlight: Female Engineers in Anderson Lab | 1

For engineering students interested in research, there are many opportunities to get involved, both on and off campus! In fact, nearly 25% of engineering students at Grove City College are involved in some type of research or independent study. Many of these students work in ‘Anderson Lab’ with Dr. Anderson, one of Grove City College’s mechanical engineering professors. Every school year, he has approximately 10-15 students doing research for him for 1-3 credits. He also has students working with him at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Massachusetts each summer. This year, there are 12 students working in Anderson Lab on seven different projects.

Ellen Turner – Mechanical Engineering ‘17

What’s your project?

Turner 1 — Turner at the lab at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) next to the high speed flume used to swim the bluefish.

In the Anderson Lab, I am working on resonance in the swimming of striped bass, largemouth bass, and bluefish. I process data representing the motion of the fish’s tail while it was swimming at different speeds and record the amplitude and frequency of the tail beat as well as speed and acceleration of the fish. All the processed data is then plotted to show trends in the relationships between amplitude, frequency and speed.

How did you get involved in this research?

I was invited to join the lab by Dr. Anderson when I applied to work with him over the summer doing similar research.

What skills (technical or non-technical) have you used the most during your research experience?

The ability and willingness to learn a lot of new things is a huge part of it. I knew how to code in MATLAB (a computing language mechanical engineering students learn) from my classes, but the other programs used in the lab I had to learn, but it’s not difficult. Dr. Anderson and all the other students in the lab are willing to help out anyone who has questions. My presentation skills have also improved dramatically from presenting my work done in the lab.

What are some benefits of doing research?

Anderson Lab has been an amazing opportunity for me and has opened my eyes to other paths I can take with a mechanical engineering degree beyond manufacturing. I’ve reevaluated my plan for the future to include the potential of further schooling because of how much I have enjoyed conducting research in my short time with the lab.

Turner 3 — Still image from a video of swimming bluefish at 1.2 m/s used in Turner’s research.

Have you done research off-campus, like at a summer internship?

Last summer, I continued doing research with Dr. Anderson at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). I worked on trailing edge analysis and fish frequency while also assisting with other research projects. This coming summer, I’ll be doing research at Vanderbilt University as part of an REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) program.

How has doing research shaped your plans for after graduation?

In the future I could see myself continuing with research of any kind either working for an institution or moving on to grad school and conducting research there. Working in Anderson Lab has shown me that I really enjoy putting my efforts into research.

To learn more about Grove City College’s Mechanical Engineering program, visit the department page!

Posted on March 9, 2016 by Lizzie Parsons — Leave a comment

Not Just Mad Scientists: A Look at GCC’s Chemistry Department

Lauren Hake - Senior Chemistry Major — Lauren Hake – Senior Chemistry Major

For many high school students interested in majoring in chemistry, they enjoy doing experiments and have probably successfully blown something up in their chemistry lab. However, they often have no idea what being a chemistry major really entails. Below is an interview with Lauren Hake, a senior chemistry major with an emphasis in biochemistry at Grove City College. She discusses Grove City College’s Chemistry Department and some of the unique opportunities she has been given during her time here. In the interview, Hake also provides an inside look at the life of a chemistry major to help students who are considering majoring in chemistry.

Why did you decide to major in chemistry?

I decided to major in chemistry because I was good at it in high school and really enjoy hands-on learning – something that chemistry labs require.

You have an emphasis in biochemistry. How did you pick that emphasis and what does it entail?

During my junior year, I chose to take a biochemistry class as one of my electives. I really enjoyed it and kept taking more of the biochemistry courses that were required to get a concentration. It required two biochemistry courses, plus some additional chemistry electives. You can pick from three different concentrations – biochemistry, physical and synthetic.

What do you want to do with your chemistry degree?

I would like to go into quality control for a pharmaceutical company, ideally. I really enjoy working with instrumentation and running the tests required in quality control. I also like the fine detail that goes into different testing methods and that is required for quality control work. Most of the work I’ve done at Grove City has been with instrumentation and that’s really been my focus here.

Have you had any chemistry-related internships? How did you get it?

Yes, I was a Chemical Processing Engineer for Armstrong World Industries in Lancaster, PA. I worked there previously as a product line worker. They needed a chemical engineering intern, so they asked me if I would like to work for them because of my degree in chemistry. I worked to test and maintain their water testing facility, trained operators and wrote a manual for their gas chromatography machine (GC). I also created a trouble shooting guide and designed and ran quality tests to make sure the ceiling board tiles, Armstrong’s product, were in spec.

How many hours a week do you spend in lab?

It varies by year. By your junior year, you’re probably in lab about 20 hours a week. It varies on how many electives you take, and if you chose to be a teaching assistant. Most of those hours are outside your designated lab time, so there is flexibility on how much time you’re in the lab. If you get all your lab stuff done in lab, good for you! But normally you have to come into the lab at extra times to finish labs or for other things you’re doing.

What does a typical lab look like for you?

It depends on the class you’re taking. Freshmen labs teach you how to run instruments and how to do things in lab, like how to properly titrate using a burette. So then, you are prepared for your upper level labs where you are doing a lot of the work on your own and designing portions of the lab yourself. You have enough experience then to confidently work in the lab on your own.

In my personal opinion, the hardest lab you have to do at Grove City is your organic major lab. For a normal week for that lab, you would come in on Tuesday afternoon and you get a vial with only a number on it. You have to first determine the type of compound, and then create a derivative and run an IR (Infrared spectroscopy). This normally takes at least eight hours and often requires that you come in at other times. But it’s a great real-world experience because planning the tests and making the derivative is all up to you. Plus, there is a high probability you will have to identify an unknown at some point in your professional career.

Taking a selfie in the Laser Lab! — Taking a selfie in the Laser Lab

How long did it take for you to feel comfortable in lab?

I’ve always liked lab, so I’ve always been comfortable in lab. However, I finally felt like I could come into a lab and do it all myself with confidence by the start of my junior lab. Freshman and sophomore year is when I learned all of the necessary lab techniques and how to use all of the equipment. But, junior year is when you start doing it without a lot of aid or supervision. The professors are there if you need them, but you’re able to do it on your own.

Are you involved in any research?

I just completed a three semester research project. Basically, without getting into too many technical details, the Instrumental Analysis class was trying to create polymethylmethacrylate, a type of polymer, using a raft agent. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get a steady molecular weight and steady chain length, so it was my job to use the Differential Scanning Calorimetry Instrument to figure out whether we could get a steady glass transition state, and if not, to figure out what methods were needed to fix that issue. In terms of research, the instrument that I was using was relatively new and no one had really used it yet, so I spent a lot of time working on the instrument to see how it worked and running tests to get consistent responses from the samples.

I got involved in this research by working as a teaching assistant (TA) for the professor, Dr. Falcetta, involved in the research. He liked my work as a TA, so he asked if I would be interested in doing some research for him. It was only supposed to be a short period, but ended up being three semesters worth of work. I got three credits for my research with him. There are a lot of different research opportunities like this for Grove City students and I highly recommend starting research as early as freshman year.

What do you think makes Grove City’s Chemistry Department unique?

Grove City’s department is unique because they allow freshmen students to get hands-on experience with the instruments in the instrument lab. This is very different from other schools, because there, a lab tech would run all of the experiments. Those students don’t get any experience using the instruments. I believe that I am more hirable because I know how to use and operate these instruments. I have found that lots of companies are looking for people who know how to run these instruments well. In fact, that’s one of the reasons I was hired as an intern for Armstrong. They got really excited when they found out I knew how to use a GC.

What’s your favorite experiment/lab that you’ve ever done?

That’s a tough question. I’ve done a lot of great labs here. I’ve extracted DNA from a strawberry using a blender, alcohol and detergent. Another cool lab I’ve done was testing the amount of iron in calf serum, a derivative of blood, using the atomic absorption spectrometer. I liked the DNA lab because it was really cool to physically see the DNA and the sequence coming out. You could see it – it was like clear jelly that floated to the top of the vial. It was really cool to think we extracted it from something as simple as a strawberry. I also just really liked doing the calf serum – it involved fire and who doesn’t like fire! Both of these experiments were very applicable, real-world experiences. I liked how they were done using common items.

Do you have any advice for students interested in majoring in chemistry?

I think the biggest complaint I hear from students who come into the major is that they expect it to be like Breaking Bad, when really it is a lot of theory and mathematics. It’s important that coming into the major, you realize it’s going to be really difficult because you’re learning a lot of information in a short period of time. However, if you talk to upperclassmen, they have valuable advice to give and can help you with some of your classes. It’s also important to know that chemistry isn’t all just playing with fire or extracting DNA from things. There’s a lot of paperwork and boring labs, but it’s all worth it when you get to create new chemicals and make new discoveries.

For more information on Grove City College’s Chemistry Department, click here!

Posted on March 1, 2016March 1, 2016 by Lizzie Parsons — Leave a comment

GCC Engineering Study Abroad Program FAQ’s

According to the Institute of International Education, over 300,000 American college students study abroad every year. Of those 300,000, only a small percentage are engineering majors. Of those few engineers lucky enough to study abroad, most will not graduate in four years due to scheduling complications. However, at Grove City College, engineers can (and are encouraged to) study abroad—and still graduate on time!

For engineering students with an appetite for adventure, the value of an immersive experience in a new culture or language is clear. What often seems somewhat fuzzy at the start of the process, however, is the actual day-to-day life of a student abroad. What are classes like? How’s the food? Who will be hosting? How frequent are the opportunities to travel? A couple years ago I was asking these same questions. But now, as a mechanical engineering student who got to call Nantes, France, “home” for a semester back in the fall of my junior year, I can offer some insight into Grove City’s truly unique engineering study abroad program.

1. Where can I study abroad?

The engineering study abroad program is located at Grove City’s European Study Center (ESC) in Nantes, France. Nantes is a beautiful city about two hours from Paris by train. It has everything you could want in a French city—sidewalk cafés, creperies, cathedrals and its very own castle. This European gem is located in the Loire Valley, which is known for its historic castles and picturesque landscapes.

2. What classes will I take?

All of the students are required to take French 101 and a field trip/cultural class called Engineering Management—more on those classes later. Mechanical engineers study abroad during the fall semester of their junior year. They take Fluid Dynamics, Mechanics of Materials and an Instrumentation Laboratory. Electrical engineers study abroad during the fall semester of their senior year. They take Control Theory and conduct the first part of their senior project.

All of the engineering classes are video-cast from Grove City, which means you’ll take the same classes as your classmates back home with professors who simultaneously teach students in Pennsylvania and Nantes (but no 8 AMs for you, thanks to the time difference… another perk of life abroad). This allows you to stay on track with required courses so that upon returning to Grove City for the spring semester, you won’t fall behind and will be able to jump into the next round of classes with your peers.

Hanging out at the Château des ducs de Bretagne (the castle in Nantes)

3. Do I have to know French?

No! This was something I was really worried about heading into the program. I took Spanish during high school and literally couldn’t even tell you what baguette meant. But no need to fear—you’ll take French 101 while you’re there and learn the basics. Between the ‘survival French’ and the friendly native speakers who wanted to practice their English, I was fine! If you do happen to know French before you go, you can test out of French 101 and take a higher level course to pursue greater fluency.

Using my French knowledge to translate café menus

4. How much does it cost?

This is the best part of the whole program! It costs the normal tuition plus $300 (which is less than what I’ve paid for books some semesters). This price includes airfare, housing, food, classes, some field trip programs and more for the entire four months you’re there. At that price, why not go?

You will need some money for souvenirs and your own independent travel. If you decide to take advantage of the many opportunities to tour Europe on weekends and breaks, expect to spend somewhere between $1,000-2,000 for extra expenses.

I used some of that spending money to buy legit gelato in Italy

5. Where and when can I travel?

Nantes’s location in Europe couldn’t be better, as you can easily navigate to most of Europe’s major cities. For the first six weeks, you’ll take the field trip portion of Engineering Management, which involves a variety of excursions to cities around Nantes that are all completely covered in the total cost. You would only be responsible for souvenirs and that occasional Nutella crêpe. We got to travel to Paris, Normandy, La Baule (a famous French beach), Fougères and other French towns around the Loire Valley. While in Paris with the help of student passes, we got to visit the Arc de Triomphe as well as the Louvre, where our Civilization & Arts humanity course came to life. In general, these excursions were a great way to learn more about French history and culture.

During your Fall Break and Thanksgiving Break, you’ll get five days and 10 days, respectively, to travel around Europe, and you can take long weekend trips too. For example, I was able to go to Dublin and London during Fall Break and travel around Italy (Rome, Pompeii, Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice) during Thanksgiving. It’s really cheap and easy to travel around Europe, and after getting the hang of it, you’ll become a pro at planning trips and booking those plane tickets!

Engineering Study Abroad — Our weekend field trip to Paris

My Thanksgiving break trip to Florence, Italy

6. Where will I live?

Grove City rents three townhouses just outside the center of Nantes where you’ll live, eat and take most of your classes. Guys live in one house and girls live in the other. The wonderful program directors, Mark and Deb Reuber, live in townhouse number three.

The neighborhood where the ESC is located

7. What about food?

Part of the program’s cost goes toward food, so you certainly won’t go hungry. You’ll be responsible for making your own breakfast and lunch, but there’s always plenty of food in the house. For dinner, student meal teams take turns cooking dinner for all of the students. It’s a lot of fun trying to recreate some of your favorite recipes using French food, and an added challenge trying to cook for upwards of 25 people!

8. Who will be in charge?

Mark and Deb Reuber are the program directors. They have been involved in this program for over a decade, from the very start. Mark facilitates the labs and Engineering Management course, while Deb teaches French. They know all about Europe and are great resources for students staying. They also help address any issues that may arise throughout the semester. For example, I dropped my laptop while I was there, splitting it wide open. But Mark came to the rescue and helped me ship it back to Grove City and got me a loaner computer. If I was in Europe on my own, I honestly don’t know what I would have done.

9. How much will I interact with French people?

The second part of the Engineering Course is a class with students from a local French university, with whom you’ll learn about French culture and international business. After classes you’ll get to dine and unwind with the local students, which always makes for a fun and memorable time. They’ll get to practice their English, and you’ll get to practice your French (if you’re feeling brave, that is).

Every Sunday, you’ll attend a French church where you’ll get to meet some truly lovely French people. Back when I went, some of the students studying abroad made some unique connections by getting involved in the worship team. Opportunities abound to make meaningful connections if you keep an open mind. Who knows what French friends and adventures await?

Hopefully this answered some questions you may have had and gave you some insight into a typical student’s day-to-day life at the ESC. For more information on the engineering study abroad program, click here. For another engineer’s perspective on studying abroad, check out this post.