This wraps up another year for engineering at the Texas Tech Center in Sevilla, Spain. In its short history, the program has been extremely successful. Engineering classes were first offered at the Seville Center during the summer of 2009 for 20 students. The participation increased to 36 students in 2010 and to 60 students in the summer of 2011. The Seville program has also provided the catalyst for generating interest and participation in study abroad across the Whitacre College of Engineering. Students return from Seville with a contagious enthusiasm that spreads to their classmates. In 2008, the year prior to initiation of the Seville program, 14 engineering students participated in an international education experience. In 2010-11, that number has increased to 120.
These students lived with their Spanish host families for 2 1/2 months and were immersed in the language and culture of Spain through day-to-day experiences, group excursions, and individual travel. They gained a global perspective that will help them value the diversity of the world's cultures and at the same time, have a greater appreciation for the life that we enjoy in the United States. They have also gained valuable travel skills that will allow them to function confidently in a global marketplace.
We celebrated the end of the summer with a fantastic lunch of lamb, beef, and pork cooked in classic Spanish style. It was a fitting way to wrap up a great summer.
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