Photograph by Daria Zahaleanu

Mia Mancuso, India To start, I was almost not allowed to go on the trip because I injured my leg three days prior … but I went. We were working on two different houses in Karnataka, which is about a three-hour drive from Goa. … At my site the day consisted of moving rocks from one end of the house to the other, by making an assembly line of sorts, and then filling the space that the rocks were in with sand. … It became more difficult for me to participate because I couldn't carry things while using crutches. This allowed me to talk with [local residents]. … Engineers for Social Impact isn't necessarily about being an engineer in the traditional sense of making something. Rather we are taught to see the community as engineers, notice its strengths and weaknesses and see how the people in the community have engineered their own solutions to the unique problems they face.

Youssef Azzam, Jordan Our trip to Jordan was beyond amazing. … We were working with Habitat for Humanity on building houses for people in need. ... Throughout this week [we interacted with] people from the local community, [who] would invite us over for lunch and dinner.

Antony Tahan, Jordan I loved the knowledge we gained regarding construction, and I felt reconnected to nature because of all the greenery of the mountains. I also met some incredible people in Jordan, some of whom I still talk to on Facebook — like the head construction worker. I would definitely recommend this class to any student because I really think it gave us students the ability to understand the meaning of poverty in a different light.

Dhruvi Joshi, India Spending my spring break in India building a home for victims of the monsoon made me realize the direct impact engineers have on the lives of others. Through this trip, I learnt that it is important to have the end goal in mind. Proper planning and execution of the plan determines the success of a project. There is more to engineering than theoretical knowledge. To be a successful engineer, the ability to interact, connect and work with others is essential.