This paper describes the first phase of a Mechatronics Curriculum Development effort--the design of an "Introduction to Mechatronics" course, the infusion of mechatronics activities throughout the curriculum and in outreach activities, and assessment results. In addition, the relevance and impact of such a curriculum on the education of engineers in relation to the evolving global economy is discussed. The second and third phases of this effort included development of two advanced mechatronics courses and the formulation of a mechatronics curriculum, which will be addressed in a companion paper, "A 10-Year Mechatronics Curriculum Development Initiative: Relevance, Content, and Results-Part II" (IEEE Transactions on Education, vol. 53, no. 2, May 2010). (Contains 3 figures and 3 footnotes.) [For Part II, see EJ900572.]