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Industry Experience and Why It Matters

Industry experience serves as a primary foundation to our engaged learning method and adds value to our students’ education. When hiring clinical assistant professors, we look for a successful work history in key engineering industries. Loyola’s Engineering program requires that these faculty members have at least four years of such experience. In fact, our faculty as a whole, has an average of six years industry experience in the workforce. In concert with our students receiving traditional training in engineering theory, our focus on engineering practice enhances student skills, experience, and knowledge.

Industry experience helps guide our curriculum in unique ways. The faculty brings to the classroom its experience working on teams, solving problems, and managing responsibilities. According to the Director of Engineering, Dr. Gail Baura, “Faculty members that have worked in major corporations such as AT&T Bell Laboratories, Eli Lilly, Motorola, and Realtek guide students on how to apply the curriculum to real-world scenarios. We create engaged learning activities that draw from our experiences, giving students insight into our former work environments.” Loyola is one of only four engineering institutions in the United States that incorporates a minimal lecture style (mini-lecture followed by active learning) into its curriculum. We want our students to hit the ground running when they start their careers, particularly in the highly competitive arena of engineering. Learn more about our faculty and the industry experience faculty members bring to the Engineering curriculum at Loyola.