A third benefit I received from my industry partners is a greater appreciation of my own expertise. As a woman in the ever-changing field of technology, I sometimes suffer from impostor syndrome [1]: What do I know and what gives me the right to be here? In fact, the first two years we offered the capstone course, I felt inadequate to the task of teaching it and found industry professionals to instruct the course as adjuncts. (Neither course went well.)
Working with industry practitioners showed me that while I will always be on the learning curve, I have much to offer in terms of developing and organizing course content, managing a classroom, engaging students, and effectively communicating difficult concepts. In the capstone course, there is also a matter of finding suitable capstone clients, facilitating student teams, and encouraging students when their enthusiasm flags. By working
with another person, it became clearer to me where my own expertise lies and I was better able to recognize my own strengths.