2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This complete research paper explores the administration of a novel course design that merged an introductory engineering course with a first-year community course. This unique approach was necessitated by the introduction of a new Engineering Physics program. The combined course aimed to align with the university's mission and vision by incorporating emerging pedagogical strategies. Key features of the course included: Interdisciplinary focus, active learning, information literacy, community resilience, and student peer mentorship. The interdisciplinary focus blends engineering and community-based learning to foster a holistic understanding of sustainability and inclusion. Active learning emphasized communication, teamwork, active reading, and participation to enhance student engagement and critical thinking. Information literacy promoted effective research and information evaluation skills. Community resilience addressed local and global challenges through project-based learning and the student peer mentorship was provided by a student who successfully completed the first-year community course. The paper delves into the course development process, implementation strategies, student outcomes, and assessments. Specifically, it examines how collaborative learning supported the achievement of both engineering and first year community-based learning objectives. Both direct and indirect assessments performed indicated students believed they contributed to their community, Pacific University, and progressed in educational development and personal growth. This paper provides valuable insights for educators seeking to integrate interdisciplinary and community-engaged approaches into their engineering curricula.