The Harvey Mudd Engineering Clinic Past, Present, Future

Abstract “Am I describing an impossible dream? Can one structure an engineering education about practice‐oriented team experiences without depriving students of needed analytical skills and knowledge of the engineering sciences?” Nearly thirty‐five years ago, Harvey Mudd College began to practice this “impossible dream.” That was when the Engineering Clinic was first launched. This paper describes how the Clinic program came into existence, including how faculty and administration were convinced to accept it. In addition, the response of the industrial community, both initially and over the years, is related. The current Clinic operation is described. Assessment of the Clinic program includes a discussion of both its impact on student preparation for engineering practice and the value of the program to industry.