President's Perspective
By Stan Liberty
President, Kettering University
In the last issue of “Kettering Perspective,” I discussed the importance of Kettering’s active engagement in pre-college programs that spur young people’s interest in science and engineering. Although these programs help build a stronger awareness of the institution, the greatest impact of these efforts is the development of awareness among these young students of how science and engineering can improve our lives. On a deeper level, these efforts can ultimately help the U.S. build a bright economic future based on research and technological innovation.
Kettering University also continues to develop its capabilities and assets so it can help develop a “back to the future” economy in the local region. For example, Kettering recently received a $250,000 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to support new and emerging businesses that could develop into significant growth employers for this region. This investment will help Kettering identify promising new innovators through our TechWorks program, provide them with assistance from our Region 6 Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center (MI-SBTDC), and nurture them as they perfect their technology in our new laboratory incubator building, which is under construction.
In addition, Kettering’s efforts in developing the entrepreneurial and innovation skills of current students continue to gain momentum. In 2006 Kettering became part of the Kern Entrepreneurship Education Network (KEEN), a program encompassing 22 universities and colleges across the country with $50,000 grants from the Kern Family Foundation of Waukesha, Wis., in 2006 and 2007. With this support, Kettering introduced courses in entrepreneurship and developed the Kettering Entrepreneur Society (KES, www.kesociety.com). These efforts were so successful that, in late 2008, Kettering received a third grant of $225,000 from the Kern Family Foundation to develop "entrepreneurship across the curriculum."
Once this project is fully implemented, every Kettering student will be exposed multiple times and at multiple levels to the elements of entrepreneurship and innovation regardless of what path they follow through Kettering's curricula. This unique curricular development and KES are examples of how Kettering is offering its students opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and talent in ways that are relevant to individual and organizational success in today's global economy.
These curricular and co-curricular programs together with MI-SBTDC, TechWorks, and cooperative education enable Kettering to contribute to economic re-development in this region of Michigan.
On behalf of the faculty, staff and students at Kettering, I hope you have a most enjoyable summer.
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