Engineers Without Borders-Montana State University: A Case Study in Student-Directed Engagement in Community Service

摘要

Engineers Without Borders at Montana State University (EWB@MSU) is an organization that has been successful in generating increased student engagement through service learning and is unique in the degree to which the organization has been built and directed by student volunteers. For the last decade, students have been self-motivated to manage an organization that collaborates with primary schools in the Khwisero district of Western Kenya to develop water and sanitation solutions. The continued success of the organization requires students to overcome the difficulty of year-to-year continuity, develop skills to undertake complex problems, and work in an unfamiliar culture to implement projects. To address these challenges, students engage faculty advisors, professionals (both in the US and Kenya), their peers, and Kenyan beneficiaries to generate solutions collectively. While in the United States, students gain the skills necessary to undertake the activities of an international aid organization while simultaneously developing the next generation of student volunteers. While in Kenya, students continue to develop skills to overcome difficulties associated with international development where strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication, project management, and an awareness of power differentials are necessary implement projects successfully. We propose that the motivation required for continuing the work of EWB@MSU is a result of the level of autonomy the students have, in conjunction with the mentors and advisors who champion and support project-based learning. This case study explores the lessons learned in the development of a self-motivated student organization conducting a long-term international service-learning project.