The Multicultural Competency within the Grand Challenges Scholars Program is designed to prepare students to develop engineering solutions that are culturally informed, globally aware, and socially responsive. Addressing the Grand Challenges, particularly within the Health theme, requires more than technical expertise; it requires understanding how culture, identity, beliefs, and social systems influence the acceptance and effectiveness of engineering solutions.
This competency ensures that students cultivate multicultural awareness and a global perspective, enabling them to:
Develop a deep understanding of at least one culture different from their own
Recognize how cultural beliefs and social norms influence healthcare access and outcomes
Consider cultural acceptance when designing engineering solutions
Apply global perspectives to technological innovation
To complete this competency, students must fulfill two requirements:
Complete one multicultural or global 3-credit course (lower or upper division) or participate in a multicultural experience.
Complete an upper-division multicultural or global 3-credit course or participate in an approved multicultural experience.
Courses or experiences must provide substantial engagement (typically 75–150 hours) and allow students to explore global perspectives related to engineering, technology, or their chosen Grand Challenges theme.
For my Health theme, I fulfill the Multicultural Competency through coursework including HSC 210: Cultural Aspects of Health and TCL 327: Health and Migration. These courses strengthened my understanding of how cultural identity, social determinants of health, and systemic inequities influence healthcare utilization and outcomes.
Through this competency, I have learned that successful biomedical engineering solutions must be designed not only for clinical effectiveness, but also for cultural acceptance, accessibility, and equity.