Tech Today articles by Jennifer Donovan
At a Career Success Day breakfast this Friday September 18, sponsored by Michigan Tech’s Presidential Council of Alumnae this Friday, a Ford Motor Company executive and Michigan Tech alumna will present a $30,000 check from Ford. Cynthia Protas Hodges, a 1987 mechanical engineering alumna who is now chassis supplier technical assistance site manager at Ford, will make the presentation.
The gift from Ford will fund three youth programs for women in summer 2016, all designed to engage young women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Women in Engineering (WIE): A scholarship program and an intensive, exciting week-long look into engineering careers. About 150 young women in grades 9-11 will trek up to Michigan Tech to participate. Ford funding will provide scholarships for 10 students to attend.
Junior Women in Engineering (JWIE): Similar to WIE, it provides an opportunity for younger women (grades 6-8) to explore fields of engineering through hands-on projects and investigations. This program will serve as preparation for the WIE program.
Women in Computer Science (WiCS) brings young women (grades 9-11) to campus for an exploration in computer science (CS) fields. The primary goal is to introduce the students to the many ways that CS profoundly impacts every industry from medicine to e-commerce, engineering to insurance and much more.
By hosting a program exclusively for girls, Michigan Tech is trying to change the widespread perception that STEM fields are only for males. The programs also promote diversity by welcoming students from across the US and around the world.
Ford Motor Company Fund Presents Leadership in Engineering Scholarship
by Jennifer Donovan
The Ford Motor Company Fund has awarded Michigan Tech engineering student Michael Robinson a $10,000 Alan Mulally Leadership in Engineering Scholarship. Cynthia Protas Hodges, a Michigan Tech alumna and Ford manager, will make a presentation at 1 p.m., September 17 in the Career Services Office of the Michigan Tech Administration Building.
Alan Mulally is the former president and CEO of the Ford Motor Company. To honor his service to Ford, the Company has established the Alan Mulally Leadership in Engineering Scholarship. The scholarship program is a $1,000,000 fund. Each year for 10 years, the fund will support ten $10,000 scholarships to outstanding sophomore or junior engineering students at Ford’s 20 premiere partner universities around the globe. Michigan Tech is among the inaugural schools to award this scholarship.
Robinson is a second-year mechanical engineering major with an electrical engineering minor. He was selected for his strong academic performance as well as his internship experience and leadership roles in the student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Cru Christian student organization. He is also a member of the Formula SAE Racing Team’s powertrain team.