This is the first of four invited papers prepared for a special panel session of the National Collaborative Task Force on Engineering Graduate Education Reform that is focusing its efforts on the deliberate advancement of professional engineering graduate education to enable a strong U.S. engineering workforce for competitiveness and national security purposes. Initiated in 2000 by the ASEE-Graduate Studies Division, College Industry Partnership Division, and Corporate Members Council, the National Collaborative Task Force is a coalition of key leaders from innovative universities and industry who are working in a unique collaboration to respond to the urgency for reshaping the U.S. system of engineering graduate education to better serve the needs of modern engineering practice to strengthen the nation's capability for technology development and innovation. The National Collaborative is focusing on two primary questions: First, can an effective system of professional engineering graduate education be created in the United States for developing our engineering talent in industry so that the continuing future of engineering practice for creative technology development & innovation in this country may be assured for economic competitiveness and national security purposes? Second, how can this system of professional engineering graduate education be implemented across the United States using the combined resources of universities and industry to ensure world-class engineering leadership for innovation so that each state and region can prosper over the long-term?