About ELDM - Leadership in Action
In the Engineering Leadership Development Minor (ELDM), students develop leadership skills through service learning projects. The aim of the projects are twofold: gain real-life leadership and project management experience while making a positive impact on the world. ELDM students have worked on projects in Hungary, Morocco, Cambodia, Jamaica, Afghanistan, Panama, and Malaysia.
Rather than encourage a 'one size fits all' method of leadership training, ELDM encourages each student to identify and develop their own unique leadership skills and styles. Focus is placed on communication styles, leadership techniques, project management, and working in a global context.
Our graduates say that potential employers view the minor as a strong asset. ELDM students bring their leadership and international business experiences into the work force, making them strong, globally-oriented employees.
Below are brief descriptions of some of our projects:
- GrandConnections - As more families live apart from their relatives, it is increasingly rare for children see their grandparents regularly. The GrandConnectionsprogram connected children at Lemont Elementary School and older adults in Centre County to establish relationships that these groups may otherwise not experience. The program is simple – adults from local residential communities visit the students at their after-school programs. Their relationships grow organically as the individuals get to know each other. Designed to be self-sustaining, the program will continue after the founding group members graduate.
- The EMP orientation video – View now! (Large file - ~300,000 KB) – Written, recorded, and produced by ELDM students, this 20-minute video is shown to all incoming first-year engineering students. Academically focused, it introduces engineering administration, gives tips to avoid common first-year mistakes, and shows some of the many ways to be more involved in engineering at Penn State.
- Penn State Student Guide – Compiled by a group of upper-level ELDM students, the Penn State Student Guide is a handy guide to surviving the first year of college. The student guide offers a broad choice of topics, from academics to social lives.
Hungary
The leadership program has established a relationship with the entrepreneurship program at Corvinus University in Budapest, Hungary. ELDM students will collaborate with Corvinus students on service learning projects around the world.
The first project between the two universities was Nittany Imports, in which student teams researched and presented a business plan to sell spa tubs to Eagle Construction of Virginia, a contractor that builds 300 homes per year. Nittany Imports assembled a supply chain that could deliver the spas from a Hungarian production plant. The president and head of purchasing for Eagle Construction flew to State College to hear the proposal. While the parties could not agree on terms for a contract, the members of Nittany Imports made valuable industry contacts and established a strong link between Penn State and Corvinus University.
Afghanistan
In 2005, former NPR reporter Sarah Chayes founded Arghand, an agricultural cooperative in southern Afghanistan. This region is famous for its many nutrient-rich native crops, such as pomegranates, almonds, apricots, and Rosa damascene (Damask roses). Arghand uses these crops to create a line of fine skincare and soap products, which are all-natural and rich in essential oils and nutrients.
However, many Afghani farmers grow opium poppies. According to the Arghand website, “[The opium] scourge is distorting the region’s economy, criminalizing its politics, and putting its people at the mercy of armed gangs and so-called insurgents.” Sadly, farmers continue to grow poppies because they can earn a livable wage from the crop.
ELDM students will work with Ms. Chayes and students at Corvinus University to create an educational package for the poppy farmers. The package will encourage farmers to switch from poppy farming to rose farming by explaining the financial benefits, and giving instructions how to grow healthy roses. Additionally, ELDM students are teaming up with Penn State engineering design students to develop machinery to aid Arghand workers in their production work.
Cambodia
The recent history of Cambodia is tragic, the country having been torn apart by war and genocide. Engineering Leadership students in the introductory (ENGR 493) and capstone (STS 497B) classes are working to increase awareness here at Penn State of the plight of the Khmer people, and to raise funds that will be used to build a school in Cambodia. The champion of this project is an Engineering Leadership student, Brian Cantalupi, who initiated this project in ENGR 493 in fall 2006.
Morocco
Students from the Engineering Leadership Program are working to support two agricultural cooperatives in Morocco.
The Beni Zekara cooperative harvests wild rosemary and extracts the essential oils. Engineering Leadership students are working in virtual teams with students from Corvinus University in Budapest, Hungary (http://www.bke.hu/) to create a business structure and explore global sales opportunities for the cooperative.
The women of the Targanine argan cooperative in the northern Sahara harvest and produce cosmetic and food grade argan oils while replanting the endangered argan forest, recently declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve (http://www.targanine.c.la/). Engineering Leadership students are designing and building new mechanical devices to assist the women in extracting the argan meat from the tough shell, and working in virtual teams with students from Corvinus University in Budapest, Hungary to explore sales opportunities for the cooperative in North America.
The Engineering Leadership Program is offering a 3 credit class at University Park (January – March, 2007) entitled "Leadership and Innovation for Meeting 21st Century Water Resource Challenges”, which includes an international workshop over spring break (March 11-18, 2007) in Rabat, Morocco. Classes at UP will cover topics which include: fundamentals of spoken Moroccan Arabic; the history of Morocco; culture and communication in international business.
The March workshop will be attended by select students from Penn State University ( University Park, Pennsylvania), as well as select students from the Ecole Mohammadia d'Ingénieurs ( Mohammadia, Morocco).
The workshop brings together business leaders, government officials, and university students from the United States and Morocco to study leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship in the context of water resource management. Students will learn about historic trans-border water issues, current technology for water treatment, and future global water resource challenges. The course will focus on promoting intercultural understanding, raising global awareness, and developing leadership skills and innovative thinking with respect to engineering design in order to meet the water resource challenges of the 21st century.
Malaysia
In August 2006, Dr. Schuhmann and several students traveled to HELP University College in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for a summit focusing on developing and sustaining environmentally friendly businesses and efforts in the world. During the summit, Penn State students met with HELP University students, and developed a plan for collaborative student projects between the two universities in the coming year.
- International Seminar Series – Students from PSU and HELP will discuss international relations and sustainable business ideas, and pilot web seminars to be viewed simultaneously by Penn State and HELP universities.
- International Web-Based Communication Platform - Teams from both universities will develop a long-range plan for a web-based communication platform to encourage interaction between the two universities and possible future third parties.