Gonzaga University

Highly competent and motivated graduates
Gonzaga instills four attributes in its SEAS graduates. First, SEAS graduates are capable and well educated in the engineering and computer science fundamentals, as well as in the application of these fundamentals. Second, graduates are innovative. They harness creative and powerful skill sets to bring ideas through to application, matching solutions to identified need. Third, they’re driven by a desire to create value. They strive to understand a customer’s needs and design to meet those needs. Finally, through reflection on the Jesuit tradition, they are compelled to seek ways to improve the quality of life throughout the natural and built environments. Ultimately SEAS graduates are dedicated to better lives for all, moving society forward through a healthier, more sustainable, and prosperous world.

Hands-on, integrated experiences
The SEAS programs at Gonzaga are dedicated to introducing innovation and the entrepreneurial mindset throughout the curriculum. Starting with a new, project-based freshman course, students are introduced to the integration of design, technical fundamentals, and creation of value as represented in solutions to complex problems. These concepts are presented through course work and laboratory experiences, as well as student participation in competitions and professional clubs/societies. In the realm of entrepreneurial mindset, Gonzaga partners with a group of engineering programs at other universities within the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) to collaboratively develop a curriculum that introduces students to the importance of participating in professional relationships to seek creative solutions that create value to society.

Senior capstone projects
The integrated undergraduate experience culminates in the SEAS senior capstone projects run through the Center for Engineering Design and Entrepreneurship. With more than 45 projects—each involving four to six students, a faculty advisor, and a project liaison (commonly from industry)—the Center focuses the senior capstone experience on nine-month-long projects that are identified and reviewed by internal and external partners. Some of the 2015–2016 projects included developing fire-resistant housing in the hopes of reducing wild fire damage, making combat shelters safer for our country’s service men and women, and developing a process for 3-D printing ankle foot orthosis for children.

Developing lifelong learners
Completed by all students at Gonzaga and revised as of fall 2016 to reflect a broader educational experience, the University core curriculum provides broad intellectual perspectives to all students through the exposure to subjects outside their chosen fields of study. The newly revised core curriculum culminates in an upper-division, interdisciplinary course focused on multidisciplinary, critical analysis of a global challenge such as climate change, water resources, or sustainable food production. Ultimately the core challenges students to integrate their studies and actions into a philosophy of living that promotes a lifetime of learning and self-reflection.

In the heart of the Inland Northwest
The Spokane/Coeur d’Alene area provides numerous internships as well as outlets for cultural and artistic expression. A scenic 15-minute walk along a section of the 37-mile Centennial Trail on the shore of the Spokane River ushers students into the vibrant downtown, offering a variety of dining, entertainment, and shopping opportunities.

Students can also explore the snow-capped mountains, dozens of lakes, and scenic hiking trails all within a 50-mile radius of campus. The Inland Northwest is a recreational paradise for skiers, hikers, campers, mountain bikers, golfers, and other outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and abilities.