"I was given work that I had no idea how to do," first-year student Peter Starr candidly admitted to 150 faculty and staff. "After a while, I realized that was the whole point. It forced me to go to [my professors] to ask good questions [and] to learn on my own."

Starr described his experiences in the new competency-based education program at the College of Technology Dean's Forum on October 31.

Purdue University president Mitch Daniels awarded $500,000 to the College of Technology and Purdue Polytechnic Institute to create the University's first competency-based degree program. The announcement was made during a Sept. 4 news conference on campus.