The school of engineering has grown exponentially in the past 10 years, reaching a record high in 2009 with 379 first-year students. The numbers for the 2010 school year have since exceeded that record, with the school currently enrolling 433 first-year students.

Recent enrollment growth is linked to students seeking service to society, job opportunities and a transformative, well-rounded education, said Tony Saliba, dean of the engineering school.

"Students are realizing that through engineering, they can serve society by solving problems," Saliba said. "Whether it's developing a new medicine, generating drinking water, finding new energy sources or engineering new materials, it is a calling to help society."

There is more awareness now than ever about the lack of resources on the planet and the need for these problems to be fixed immediately, according to Saliba. He said he believes that students today are realizing that it is not an option, but a responsibility, to recognize and solve global problems, if people wish to maintain their quality of life.

Another way the engineering department is flourishing is through UD's ETHOS [Engineers in Technical Humanitarian Opportunities of Service Learning] program. The program incorporates leading, learning and serving by taking students outside of Kettering Labs to gain real world experience. Students are trained to take their knowledge of engineering to another country and use it to solve a problem with the country's own resources. Students travel to areas in Latin America, Africa and Asia to participate in the program, according to UD's Center for International Programs website.

The type of education that UD offers also has played a role in the growth of the engineering program, Saliba said. According to Saliba, the school of engineering offers a transformative, well-rounded education, focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship with a unique combination of professional, liberal arts and leadership education.

"We are at the forefront of education in the country, and our flagship is the innovation center that draws on other UD schools," Saliba said. "Innovation is the engine that will drive our economic growth, and the spirit of entrepreneurship puts students in the mindset to help them be successful."

According to a university press release, the school of engineering has vast diversity in its incoming class, with minority students making up 10 percent. Of the first-year engineering students, 20.9 percent are females versus the national percentage of 18.2. The number of black and Hispanic students in the incoming class has nearly doubled since the 2006-2007 year when only 23 of these students were enrolled in comparison to this year's 42 students.

In addition, the civil engineering program students have a 100 percent passing rate on the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, which all engineers must take to become certified, while the national passing average is 80 percent. The UD student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers has been ranked number one in the world, and a Chemical Engineering Student recently won first place in the 2010 SAMPE [Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering] International Student Symposium.

But Saliba does not name off facts or monetary statistics when when asked what he is most proud of regarding the engineering school.

"I am most proud that our students adopted the Marianist spirit of leadership and service," he said. "They really embody it and implement it. They use their technical skills to make a difference in society."