Opportunities to meet a wide range of learning outcomes that can be challenging to meet in traditional courses may lie within our local and global communities. Community-engaged learning places students in partnerships with organizations within a community to develop solutions together to meet compelling human and sustainability needs within a broad range of communities. The Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) program is an internationally recognized model for community-engaged design that was founded at Purdue University and integrated into curricula at several other institutions around the world. EPICS engages students in real projects that are developed, delivered and supported within local, regional and international communities. Student design teams are diverse including students from across and outside of engineering with students participating as early as their first year and as late as their final year and in some cases as capstone design. The model for design, community partnerships, and assessment will be presented and discussed along with lessons learned that can be applied at other institutions. Evidence will be shared how to approach can meet outcomes, prepare students for success in professional practice and increase diversity.
