The Valparaiso University International Engineering Program gives students in a demanding major the opportunity to experience life in another country.

For Peter Krenzke, associate professor of mechanical engineering and bioengineering and environmental engineering major Morgan Purser, the program let them spend a year studying, working and exploring Europe while living in Reutlingen, Germany.

The VIEP experience is a full year abroad in Reutlingen; Zaragoza, Spain; or Compiégne, France. During the first semester, students continue to take their Valpo classes, as well as at least one engineering course with native students in their language. During the second semester and following summer, VIEP students work at an internship with a company in a relevant industry.

For Purser, a three-year member of the Valpo swim team who also pursued study abroad in Reutlingen, finding a program that let her pursue her athletic career and study abroad goals were a major factor in deciding which schools she would attend.

“I would always ask the colleges I visited about their study abroad programs,” said Purser, who will graduate in 2026. “Valpo told me about VIEP, and I thought it sounded interesting. Being able to study abroad and swim was really important to me.”

Learning classroom and beyond

Krenzke was among the first students in VIEP to study and work in Ruetlingen. In his first semester, he took several cultural courses, including language and art history, which culminated in giving a presentation on a piece of artwork at the Louvre in Paris.

The German class, however, stood out for how it differed from the American experience. For both Krenzke and Purser, the idea of an entire grade being decided based on a single, final exam took some adjusting.

“You were expected to show up to one class, you got a 200-page stack of problems to work through to prepare for the exam, and then you took the exam,” Krenzke recalled.

“I found it super stressful,” Purser said. “I’m a fine test taker, but it’s nice to have other homework and projects to rely on.”

Final exam aside, the study semester of the VIEP program is scheduled to give participants plenty of free time to travel Europe, an opportunity that both participants took to with enthusiasm.

“I went to Italy multiple times and London twice. I went to Croatia, and was in Greece for my last two weeks of study abroad with my mom and my sister,” Purser said. “Traveling to Europe is expensive, but once you’re there, getting around is pretty cheap.”

On the job

During his second semester in the program, Krenzke worked in the combustion group of the German Aerospace Center, conducting shock tube experiments to determine the impact of adding hydrogen to fuels on the ignition delay time. In addition to learning technical German terms like Zündverzugszeit (ignition delay time), Krenzke learned to engage professionally with those outside of the U.S. — a skill that has helped him in his professional life after graduation.

“Understanding cultural differences was the biggest thing I learned, professionally,” Krenzke said. “The amount of time someone else thinks is reasonable for something to happen ‘quickly’ versus what an American thinks can be two very different things.”

Purser primarily worked in water testing for medical analysis company PMA in Sindelfingen. Despite the job being two hours from Reutlingen, the skills and experiences she had will go a long way in helping her career.

“It improved my confidence a lot. I really didn't like speaking in front of the class, but I tell myself ‘you did this in German before. You can do it,’” she said. “It also helped my adaptability. I mostly did the same thing every day, but if someone else needed help, I had to be able to go help them and switch between them and the water department.”

Now, Purser has a job lined up as a stormwater engineer in Indianapolis. Her goal is to spend a number of years working there before seeking more opportunities abroad.

Life in another country

More than academic and professional experience, the year abroad is about experiencing a new kind of day-to-day living.

“It’s a lot different experience to live in another culture rather than just to visit,” said Krenzke, who graduated from the university in 2008. “When you’re there for a full year, you get to know your way around your town, and you see more of how people live normal lives.”

For Purser, those adjustments included having to rely on public transport, and navigating grocery shopping in a country where all the stores are closed on Sundays.

“Sunday morning I’d have cereal and rice, and that’s what I’d eat that day,” Purser said. “It helped my time management, always checking the train and bus schedules and planning around strikes.”

“It’s a time in your life when you have very few responsibilities, and it’s easy to go and see a lot of these historic places,” Krenzke said. “Germany is a great location to do that from. You learn to travel by train.”

VIEP is not the only opportunity for Valpo engineering students looking to study abroad. For those who do not wish to commit an entire year to the experience, the college offers the chance to plan single semesters as part of a student’s normal curriculum in the program. Most engineering majors can complete their degrees in four years with a semester abroad in Reutlingen by taking classes from the Valpo CoE remotely. Summer international programs and annual mission trips are also available. Learn more about studying abroad with the College of Engineering here.