The challenge of sustainable development demands that intelligence quotient requirements are not enough for the successful future of engineers and similar professionals. It is necessary that students develop emotional intelligence to increase their ability to understand and communicate emotions, guide their thought process, and increase their capacity to solve difficulties. Engineering professionals working in rural development related to sustainable resource management are not being as effectual as they could be their work with communities is fragmented or incomplete as they have not been given support or advice regarding human development. In the current study a group of forest engineering students experienced complete immersion with a local community of Bajo Calima, during a field trip to Centro Forestal Tropical (Tropical Forestry Center TFC). The knowledge exchange that occurred between students and the community developed students’ empathy for and understanding of the community’s problems.