The MDL provides a unique “in-house co-op” experience for undergraduate engineering teams to collaborate with industry sponsors on senior capstone design projects. Students solve real-world challenges and interact with industry mentors, while sponsors benefit from fresh student perspectives and an inside look at potential new hires.
GET INVOLVED WITH VILLANOVA’S COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
We encourage you to help us bridge the connection between theory and practice by getting involved with the College of Engineering and interacting with our students.
CORPORATE RELATIONSHIPS
The College’s Office of External Relations and the Villanova Career Center can help your company recruit undergraduate and graduate Villanova Engineers for summer internships (both domestic and international) and full-time positions.
In addition to recruiting, companies can partner with the College and sponsor student projects and faculty research designed to bring innovative technical solutions to “real-world” problems confronting your business.
Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory (MDL)
Sustainable Engineering Consortium (RISE Forum)
An initiative of the College’s graduate program in Sustainable Engineering, the RISE Forum is a vehicle for academic-industry collaboration, where graduate student teams work directly with member companies to identify and advance sustainable engineering practices that not only drive growth and enhance reputation, but help companies manage risk and the bottom line.
Research Collaborations
Villanova Engineering is home to six Centers of Excellence, which regularly conduct industry-sponsored research:
- Center for Advanced Communications
- Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Control
- Center for Energy-Smart Electronic Systems
- NovaCell, Center for Cellular Engineering
- Villanova Center for Analytics of Dynamic Systems
- Villanova Center for Resilient Water Systems
The College also has specialized research expertise in the following areas:
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
There are numerous ways that companies and alumni can contribute to the ongoing professional development of our undergraduate and graduate students.
Career Compass is a professional development program that will stimulate and develop students’ broad-based, innovative leadership and management skills. Beginning sophomore year and continuing through graduation, students will be professionally linked to Villanova Engineering alumni and corporate partners for mentoring.
Industry Speakers
The College hosts dozens of alumni, parents and friends each year who share their professional expertise with our students, either by speaking to a class or engineering organization, or by serving as a keynote speaker or panelist for a forum or symposium.
Engineering Entrepreneurship
The College’s most popular minor, the Engineering Entrepreneurship program invites entrepreneurs to speak to classes about their experiences. Alumni and friends are also needed as judges for regular entrepreneurial challenges and competitions and to mentor project teams as they develop prototypes and business models of their ideas.
SERVICE LEARNING & STEM OUTREACH
Companies, organizations and alumni can also partner with the College in supporting our international service learning projects and regional STEM outreach initiatives.
Villanova Engineering Service Learning (VESL)
Since 2011, VESL has engaged engineering students and faculty in over 36 projects with 15 partners in 11 countries. Villanova teams work with local partners on many levels, including community development projects, sustainable infrastructure, training and capacity building and humanitarian technology initiatives.
K-12 STEM Outreach
The College hosts an array of student and faculty-led initiatives designed to inspire the next generation to pursue an engineering education, with a specific focus on underrepresented students. Each year, some 800 K-12 students in the greater Philadelphia region directly benefit from the College’s comprehensive suite of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs.
Join the Nova Network, Villanova's official social and professional network, to find Villanovans in your industry and local area, discuss career-related topics and access resources for your professional development.