Integration of Management Principles in an Open-Ended Community Service Project

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith has developed a unique engineering project for first year students to experience the business world while gaining an understanding for engineering tasks and how engineers function in the workplace.This project included five "Introduction to Engineering" classes, each tasked with designing, funding, and implementing a synchronized holiday light show which could be received on any automobile FM stereo.To facilitate a better understanding of the current world-wide business environment, this project grouped the students from the five classes into five different plant locations.Each class represented their own physical site with identical departments of project management, facilities and technical areas.As a result of the size and scope of the project, coordination of resources was combined in a crossfunctional, cross-site interaction.Students took roles in this business model and were responsible for technical components, planning, logistics, milestones and final completion of the project.This unique project environment gave first year students a realistic insight into the engineer's lifestyle.Additionally, we believe these types of projects will help with student retention by increasing out-of-class interactions between fellow students and faculty as well as allow students to contribute to their community in a highly visible way.The project was well received by the community, with over eight thousand people coming to campus to view the holiday light show.Student survey results also indicate a high level of satisfaction with the project.