In west Michigan, we don’t brag.  However, as you can see in this newsletter, it is hard not to brag about all the wonderful accomplishments of our students and recent alumni that impact our community.  We were particularly excited to do so when U.S. Senator Gary Peters of Michigan toured Kennedy Hall and Keller Labs on February 17th.  Our alumni, such as Nicki Bonczyk, not only contribute to the west Michigan economy but donate time to recruit the next generation of engineering and computing professionals.  Our current students share in this effort by presenting their class projects to high school students as a part of the fall and winter Project Days.  The design creativity and implementation skills of our students are well recognized in wide variety of areas including formula car racing, sports equipment development, and biomedical device entrepreneurship.   Our alumni also bring this creative spirit to the marketplace with inventions such as the world’s toughest coffee maker.  We are very gratified for the recognition that our programs have received; all of which require internships or co-ops, as well as the recognition received by the faculty members who facilitate these programs.  One more bragging point: all of our majors are seeing enrollments at all-time highs!

Engineering Student Garrett Goodwin has not let a life-changing accident keep him from pursuing his dreams. Goodwin’s unique seat and roll cage design allows for the precision maneuverability needed to bring home medals three years running.

Read the article: http://www.gvsu.edu/gvnow/index.htm?articleId=1F7B8227-903D-1249-1E3BFBA530C8189A

Garrett Goodwin recognized by Michigan lawmakers. Lt. Gov. Brian Calley presented the proclamation to Goodwin during a business summit on disability employment. Grand Valley President Thomas J. Haas also attended.

Read the article: http://www.gvsu.edu/gvnow/index.htm?articleId=5F6A2AA1-0AD8-0DCD-EAB8288DC525C3F1

Among many stops through the Grand Valley community, U.S. Senator Gary Peters participates in a walking tour of Kennedy Hall and Keller Engineering Labs. Senator Peters learned about the many ways GVSU prepares students for the workforce.

Read the article: http://www.gvsu.edu/gvnow/index.htm?articleId=FCB3DA0B-DFAE-A93F-3972398A64DFFE74

Professor David Lange will lead a smartphone application course in which students will design an app that provides information on restaurants, attractions, transportation, festivals, performances and more in the Grand Rapids area. The goal is to attract and engage millennials in area activities and businesses, as well as increase retention of recent college graduates.

Read the article: http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/02/gvsu_partnering_with_city_of_g.html

Dean Paul Plotkowski was awarded the prestigious Alvah K. Borman award for his lifelong contributions to the field of engineering cooperative education. Computer Engineering senior, Joe Gibson, was awarded the Cooperative Education Student of the Year. Joe completed a co-op semester at L-3 Communications in Grand Rapids, a second co-op semester at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and his third co-op semester with CERN Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland.

Read the article: http://www.gvsu.edu/gvnow/index.htm?articleId=230BEE6E-DBB0-79F9-E7CA7BA5CE6BFB9E

The Grand Valley community is mourning the death of philanthropist and Grand Valley supporter Tom Wisner, who died January 1. He was 77. Wisner, president of Leslie E. Tassell, Inc., was a longtime supporter of Grand Valley and the West Michigan community. He and his wife, Joyce Wisner, established several scholarships at Grand Valley in the medical and manufacturing areas.

Read the article: http://www.gvsu.edu/gvnow/index.htm?articleId=B31A500A-D716-1167-B465C21F130CDBE5

Members of the Grand Valley Racing Team, an engineering club focused on designing, building and racing miniature racecars for the SAE International Collegiate Design Series competition, displayed their first Formula car submission at the Michigan International Auto Show in February. The team will race their car at the SAE competition in May, which will be held at the Michigan International Speedway.

Read the article: http://woodtv.com/2015/02/04/auto-industry-comeback-boosts-graduates-confidence/

Team Website: http://www.arenmac.com/gvRacing/

Support the Team: http://www.gvsu.edu/giving/sae-formula-one-535.htm

OXX Products Design Engineer Nick Hayhoe helps show off the extreme durability of the company’s new CoffeeBoxx by lowering a 4,200-pound Jeep onto four of the portable K-cup coffee brewers. The CoffeeBoxx is designed for the extreme environment of a construction site, but also keeps the outdoor enthusiast in mind.

Read the article: http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2015/01/grand_rapids_firm_promotes_wor.html

Nicki Bonczyk’s long-time involvement with the FIRST Robotics Competition led her to pursue an engineering degree and ultimately landed her a job in robotics with JR Automation. Still passionate about the competition, Bonczyk volunteers as a Head Referee.

Read the article: http://www.usfirst.org/aboutus/nljan15/coming-around-again

Grand Valley engineering students Leah Bauer and Kathryn Christopher were chosen to be fellows by the National Center for Engineering Pathways to Innovation, a national network of students who work to ensure their peers gain knowledge and skills required to join the workforce. Bauer and Christopher have since completed the program.

Read the article: http://www.gvsu.edu/gvnow/index.htm?articleId=D9852F18-EDDB-6C7D-2B018CACEF2EDE41

The 2014 Spectrum Innovations Impact Statement highlights five joint projects with GVSU where undergraduate and graduate student contributions range from increasing commercialization opportunities for biomedical products to improving device designs that result in increased comfort and reduced risks for paitents.

Read the statement: http://spectrumhealthinnovations.com/workfiles/impact-statement.pdf

The STEM JobsSM Approved Colleges list is the first of its kind to rate higher education institutions on their responsiveness to meeting the demands of STEM careers through program alignment, diversity, and post graduation job placement. GVSU earned ‘best practices’ in all six categories including High Growth STEM Jobs, HIGH Pay STEM Jobs, STEM Job Placement, STEM Career Center on Site, STEM Graduate Diversity, and STEM Program Diversity.

Read the article: http://victorymedia.com/pressrelease/victory-media-announces-inaugural-list-stem-jobs-approved-colleges/

See the List: http://cdn.stemjobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/SJA_Colleges_List.pdf

In December 2014, the Padnos College of Engineering and Computing welcomed students from 11 area high schools, who visited the university to learn about career opportunities in engineering and computing. During the College’s Project Day, Kennedy Hall of Engineering was filled with projects designed by current GVSU engineering and computing students. Projects on display included an artificially intelligent TicTacToe game and a therapeutic Hugging Chair for children with autism and other special needs.

Read the article: http://www.wzzm13.com/story/news/local/2014/12/04/gvsu-engineering-students-display-end-of-semester-projects/19914463/

College Factual ranked GVSU #1 among schools that offer a quality education in the field of Computer Information Systems.

View the rankings: http://www.collegefactual.com/majors/computer-information-sciences/computer-information-systems-cis/rankings/best-value/

The computing and information systems (CIS) program and the engineering program at Grand Valley State University have logged record-enrollment numbers of first-year-students for the 2014-2015 academic year.

Read the article: http://www.lanthorn.com/article/2015/01/news-record-enrollment

Melanie Droski
Melanie Droski has joined the School of Engineering as a Secretary in the School office. Melanie most recently worked for the Lowell Area Public Schools as an Office Assistant. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Davenport University. Melanie is responsible for the daily customer relations/receptionist functions of the office, and administrative tasks related to the academic semester supporting faculty, staff, students, and the campus community.

Ryan Aldridge
Ryan Aldridge has joined the School of Engineering as the Laboratory Supervisor for the John C. Kennedy Hall of Engineering. Ryan has been an Electronics Lab Support Assistant within the School of Engineering the past two years, and has also been a  Controls Engineering co-op at JR Automation since this past summer. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Electrical Engineering at GVSU. Ryan is responsible for assisting faculty and students with operations, and design/build functions, in the school laboratories and shops, with an emphasis on computer and electrical/electronic applications/environments within Kennedy Hall.

Michelle Lindale
The Padnos College Dean’s office is pleased to announce the arrival of our newest team member, Michelle Lindale.  Michelle comes to us from Austria, where she has been living for the past four years with her family. She is a Grand Valley School of Engineering graduate, and has product design experience in several professional realms including aerospace, crane and hoist, fuel systems, and furniture. Additionally, Michelle has worked in the Kendall College of Art and Design and Aquinas College education communities. We look forward to her work as the Padnos College Director of Partnership Development & Communications.

Ron Grew
Ron Grew recently retired after 16+ years of service to the School of Engineering as a Laboratory Supervisor, most recently in the John C. Kennedy Hall of Engineering. Prior to joining GVSU, Ron served in, and retired from, the U.S. Coast Guard. Ron has been such an integral part of the School of Engineering operations and educational environment, and will be missed greatly. In addition to his work overseeing the computer/electrical lab environments, he was the advisor for the Alternative Energy Club and was actively involved with the Amateur Radio Club. We are very grateful for his work, dedication and friendship over the years. We wish Ron the best in his retirement!