Ten years.  It’s been 10 years since the loud music and large crowds of the Kettering Kickoff FIRST Robotics Competition hit campus a decade ago. 

It’s been noisy, busy and incredibly competitive, said Kettering Kickoff Founder Bob Nichols, Kettering’s director of External Affairs. “And 10 years of bringing highly motivated high school students to our campus.” 

Nichols said this year’s 10th anniversary event Saturday, Sept. 19, will be lunacy!  “This year’s game is called Lunacy, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the first lunar walk on the moon in 1969.  So we like to quip: ‘10 years at Kettering is Lunacy,’” Nichols said, chuckled.  “It’s been 10 years of FIRST fun.” 

Forty-two teams from Canada, Michigan and Ohio are expected to compete at the 10th anniversary Kettering Kickoff in the University’s Recreation Center.  The event is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Many of Michigan’s best high school robotics teams will compete, including:
Team 27, Team RUSH, Clarkston, Mich.
Team 33, Killer Bees, Auburn Hills, Mich.
Team 47, Chief Delphi, Pontiac, Mich.
Team 48, Delphi ELITE, Warren, Ohio
Team 68, Truck Town Thunder, Ortonville, Mich.
Team 70, More Martians, Goodrich, Mich.
Team 107, Team R.O.B.O.T.I.C.S., Holland, Mich.
Team 217, ThunderChickens, Sterling Heights, Mich.
Team 247, Dabears, Berkley, Mich.
Team 302, Dragons, Lake Orion, Mich.
Team 314, Megatron Oracles, Flint, Mich.
Team 322, F.I.R.E., Flint, Mich.
Team 326, Xtreme Eagles, Romulus, Mich.
Team 397, Knight Riders, Flint, Mich.
Team 468, Baker Explorers, Flint, Mich.
Team 469, Las Guerrillas, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Team 494, Martians, Goodrich, Mich.
Team 503, Frog Force, Novi, Mich.
Team 548, Robostangs, Northville, Mich.
Team 703, Team Phoenix, Saginaw, Mich.
Team 815, Advanced Power, Allen Park, Mich.
Team 862, Lightning Robotics, Canton, Mich.
Team 894, Powers Chargers, Flint, Mich.
Team 910, Foley Freeze, Madison Heights, Mich.
Team 1075, Sinclair Sprockets, Whitby, Ontario, Canada
Team 1189, Gearheads, Grosse Pointe, Mich.
Team 1243, Dragons, Swartz Creek, Mich.
Team 1322, G.R.A.Y.T. Leviathons, Fenton, Mich.
Team 1504, The Desperate Penguins, Okemos, Mich.
Team 1506, Metal Muscle, Flint, Mich.
Team 1718, The Fighting Pi, Armada, Mich.
Team 1783, Firebots, West Branch, Mich.

Team 1856, Gearheads, Redford, Mich.

Team 2137, The Oxford RoboCats, Oxford, Mich.
Team 2145, HAZMATs, Lake Fenton, Mich.
Team 2337, EngiNERDS, Grand Blanc, Mich.
Team 2604, Metal & Soul, Capac, Mich.
Team 2612, The Syntax Errors, Waterford, Mich.
Team 2619, The Charge, Midland, Mich.
Team 2851, Crevolution, Sterling Heights, Mich.
Team 3096, Finney Highlanders, Detroit, Mich. 

“We’re able to host this wonderful event because of the incredible support we get from our volunteer teams that have taken a large and complex contest and turned it into magical FIRST fun for tomorrow’s engineers and scientists,” Nichols continued. 

FIRST -- For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology -- is a national effort to inspire youth to explore career possibilities in engineering, science and technology.  FIRST robotics pits teams in a head-to-head competition between large radio-controlled robots built by teams of high school students and sponsoring engineers and teachers.  Michigan is tops among the “big states” for team participation in FIRST.  Almost one-third of Michigan high schools now have a FIRST robotics team as a varsity sport.   

Each year, the Kettering Kickoff helps high school teams "kick off" the start of their competition season by using the game, rules and robots of the previous year’s national competition. “The Kettering Kickoff was founded in 2000,” Nichols explained, “to give participants who are new to the sport an opportunity to build camaraderie with their new teammates and to work on developing their skills in a competitive environment.”  

The 10th annual Kettering Kickoff is hosted by Team 70, Kettering/Goodrich More Martians; Team 314, Carman-Ainsworth Megatron Oracles; Team 322, Flint Schools F.I.R.E. Team; Team 397, Southwestern Academy Delphi Knight Riders; Team 494, Goodrich Martians; Team 1243 Swartz Creek Dragons; Team 1322, The G.R.A.Y.T. Leviathons; Team 1506, Kettering University Metal Muscle; Team 2337 Grand Blanc Enginerds; and Kettering University. 

For more on the Kettering Kickoff, visit: www.KetteringFIRST.com and to see websites of the registered teams competing in the Kettering Kickoff, visit: http://www.ketteringfirst.com/staticpages/index.php?page=Registered_Teams 

Written by Patricia Mroczek
810.762.9533
pmroczek@kettering.edu

Schools on the list range from state universities and private colleges to community colleges and trade schools.  The common bond is their shared priority of recruiting students with military experience.  The 2010 Military-Friendly School List can be found at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/mfspr

Frank Hribar, vice president of Enrollment Services at Kettering, said it was an honor for Kettering to be included in the exclusive list.  “It comes at a time when tens of billions of dollars are now available in tuition money through the recent passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill.  Kettering is pleased to be recognized for its abilities to assist our dedicated veterans as they return to the classroom.”  

Kettering graduate student – Petty Officer Second Class Emmanuel Baluyot, Storekeeper (SW) who is currently serving in the U.S. Navy – agreed that Kettering should be on the select list.  “Being enrolled at Kettering University inspires and motivates me to achieve my goals; to acquire more knowledge and to enhance my personal values through education and to become successful in my profession, said Baluyot, who hopes to graduate in 2011. 

“I have an accredited foreign degree from Far Eastern University - East Asia College in Manila, Philippines, a bachelor’s degree in Computer and Information Science with a major in Systems and Software Engineering. Through Kettering University, I am able to pursue my postgraduate education.” 

Baluyot is an MBA student at Kettering, with an Information Technology concentration.  He just returned from an eight-month deployment in the Middle East and Africa.  His ship, the USS Comstock, is back in its home-port station at the naval base in San Diego.

“The Distance Learning Graduate Programs of Kettering gave me the opportunity to choose a suitable ‘career booster’ program,” he said.  “During this last deployment, I was able to finish MGMT-639 or Managing People and Organization with a course grade of A.  That’s thanks to the flexibility of the program and the assistance of my professor, Dr. Beverly Jones (Business Dept.). Special mention to Mary Sue Holmes (Graduate Studies) for taking care of my study materials.”

 Baluyot also credits the assistance he received from staff members in Enrollment Services.  “Although at first I was having some challenges and inquiries on how to meet the procedures of Kettering University with the requirements of the GI Bill, a lot of people from admissions and financial aid helped me to overcome those challenges. I also approached the VA department of Kettering University. I hope more research will be done in understanding how the GI Bill works and the ways more customer service connections will help make things happen on campus.” 

 Rich McCormack, publisher of G.I. Jobs, said the list is especially important now because the recently enacted Post-9/11 GI Bill has given veterans virtually unlimited financial means to go to school. “Veterans can now enroll in any school, provided they’re academically qualified. So schools are clamoring for them like never before. Veterans need a trusted friend to help them decide where to get educated. The Military Friendly Schools list is that trusted friend.”

 Institutions on the Military Friendly Schools list also offer additional benefits to student veterans such as on-campus veterans programs, credit for service, military spouse programs and more.

 The list was compiled through exhaustive research starting last May during which G.I. Jobs polled more than 7,000 schools nationwide. Methodology, criteria and weighting for the list were developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Committee (AAC) consisting of educators and administrators from Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Toledo, Duquesne University, Coastline Community College and Lincoln Technical Institute.

 A full story and detailed list of Military Friendly Schools will be highlighted in the annual Guide to Military Friendly Schools and on a poster, both of which will be distributed to hundreds of thousands of active and former military personnel in September. A new Web site, found at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com, will launch in September with interactive tools and search functionality to assist military veterans in choosing schools that best meet their educational needs.

 Criteria for making the Military Friendly Schools list included efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results in recruiting military and veteran students and academic accreditations.

ABOUT G.I. Jobs: G.I. Jobs (www.gijobs.com) is published by Victory Media, a veteran-owned business headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa. The company also publishes The Guide to Military Friendly Schools, Military Spouse and Vetrepreneur magazines and annually rates the nation’s “Military Friendly Employers,” “Military Spouse Friendly Employers” and “Best Corporations for Veteran-Owned businesses.

Written by Pat Mroczek and G.I. Jobs sources

810.762.9533

pmroczek@kettering.edu

The China Business Tour sponsored by the Department of Business was a tremendous opportunity to learn more of China, a highly influential country of 1.3 billion people. We were able to see firsthand a few of the diverse landscapes and groups of people in this land, and to realize the gains made by this totalitarian government, which in recent years has embraced a limited form of capitalism. While one can gain a great deal of information from a recent documentary TV broadcast such as CNBC’s “China: A Republic of Profit,” until one experiences the pleasant picturesque surroundings and communicates with these friendly, dedicated people of China firsthand, it’s difficult to grasp the change taking place there. As Napoleon Bonaparte once remarked in 1803, “Let China sleep. For when she wakes, she will shake the world.” The hope is that this journal will enlighten others and encourage them to engage in similar global awareness experiences.

Thursday, June 18

Seven Kettering students and I left Thursday, June 18, at 3:10 pm. on a Northwest Airlines flight from Detroit Metropolitan Airport.  After transferring planes in Tokyo, we arrived in Beijing, China, at approximately 10:30 p.m. June 19, loosing 12 hours in time zone crossings.  One of our students was quarantined for the night and released 24 hours later due to a slight fever. The medical team at the Beijing Airport was concerned about the swine flu pandemic and therefore required him to undergo testing.  While at the airport, we met the other university tour groups that would join us. There were 11 from Marylhurst University in Oregon and 10 from South Carolina State University. In total we were 24 undergraduate and graduate students, four faculty, one faculty member’s young son and Zhau Liang (Simon), our tour guide.

Saturday June 20

Saturday was our first full day in China. The day was spent in Beijing, a population center of 18 million. The name of the city means “North Capital.” We began our tour at Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City/Emperor’s Palace.  The name Tiananmen Square means “Gate of Heavenly Peace,” and reminds one of the capital mall in Washington DC, which runs from the Capital Building to the Lincoln Memorial. Although some have claimed that Tiananmen Square is the largest square in the world, it is not as elegant as the one in Washington, because it doesn’t have reflecting pools and a green lawn, but instead a huge cement, expansive surface. Some of the prominent buildings were the Great Hall of the People where governmental officials meet and the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall where people lined up to view their revolutionary hero’s embalmed body. 

Next to Tiananmen Square is the Forbidden City, which at one time had nine gates leading to and from the Emperor’s Throne and private quarters during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.  Of particular note is the beautiful pagoda architecture on some of these buildings that includes detailed ornamentation and multiple colors.  In addition, there are totem poles comparable to the Indians of the Northwest United States, including winged eagles and carved reliefs.  This palace was built between 1406 and 1420 and has been marvelously maintained.  It includes quarters not only for the Emperor, but separate quarters for the empress, his concubines and children.  A total of 24 emperors lived here in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.  We also toured the inner private grounds of the Emperor’s quarters, which include beautiful gardens, trees and a lake.  One highlight is a long covered boardwalk with ornate paintings and carvings on the north shore of the private lake and in front of a Buddhist Temple. 

Sunday, June 21,

We took an hour bus ride north from the city to the Badaling Section of the Great Wall.  We spent a good hour walking uphill through three sections of the Great Wall to the highest point in the area to view the surrounding landscape.  The wall was built two millennia ago to keep marauding hordes of Mongols from invading the now unified China.  The Great Wall was started in the 5^th century B.C. and runs along the crest of the mountains, splitting at various points and rejoining as it meanders for 3,000 miles to the west. In fact, just recently new sections have been discovered in some of the remotest areas.  Another 45 minutes was spent descending from our observation point and another half hour to rest from the 95 degree temperatures and high humidity.  Upon reflection, it was a wonder that invasions were a concern because of the naturally difficult terrain.

The bus then took us to the Olympic Center where the 2008 Olympics took place.  We were able to view the Birds Nest (which housed the opening ceremonies and the track and field events), the swimming facilities and several modern architectural buildings.  Again, many gorgeous gardens were interspersed throughout the grounds. Of note were the architectural contrasts between some of the older heavy, reinforced concrete buildings versus the modern western glass facade structures.

After the Olympic Center tour we had a tea ceremony where we tried three different types and flavors of teas.

That evening we all took a rickshaw ride through Hutong District, which is a poorer section of Beijing with many alleyways between residences and small businesses.  We stopped at one individual’s home, which was comprised of four separate rooms around a plaza.  Each room was adjacent to someone else’s building on its back wall.  Although the owner had no bathroom or washing facilities, they were very proud of their multi-generational residence.  Through the translation of our guide, we understood the Chinese characters the owner wrote with water on the plaza floor indicating a hope for good relationship between China and the United States. 

The evening was spent in downtown Beijing noting the modern commercial district.  Of special interest was one street blocked off for customers to walk by at least thirty vendor stalls supplying customers with everything to eat from seahorse to lamb’s kidneys, to snakes, to scorpions, to fried ice cream. 

Our hotel rooms were quite nice and would have cost well over $100 a night.  From my hotel room in Beijing I could see older styled, plain looking concrete apartment complexes and office buildings interspersed now with western style skyscrapers.  A dozen construction cranes were easily visible from my window indicating a massive construction emphasis in this capital city. However, right beneath my window one could see a ghetto area sectioned off by bill boards, denying commercial traffic from viewing this slum area.

Written by Dr. Norm Irish, visiting professor of Management. A second installment of this travel journal will appear on the News and Information Website in the near future.

See the conclusion of the China Tour Journal at: http://www.kettering.edu/visitors/storydetail.jsp?storynum=2904

Kettering’s Section A freshman class will have 270 fresh faces in it!  They will be joined by the second half of the freshman class (Section B) in October.

Many of the incoming freshmen are the finest students of their high schools from around the country.  There are at least eight valedictorians and one salutatorian in the entering class. 

Kettering’s new freshmen will participate in a first-in-the-country program, “Entrepreneurship Across the Curriculum,” that is reshaping the University.  “Kettering is the only university in the country with a head start on the Innovation Economy through “Entrepreneurship Across the Curriculum,” said Dr. Michael Harris, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.  “Our faculty and staff are focused on exposing Kettering students to innovation and entrepreneurship at every level of their education.  We are preparing the next generation of scientific experts who are innovators because Kettering’s intellectual and practical learning capacities are cutting edge and current.”  (Read more on this leading-edge effort at: http://www.kettering.edu/visitors/storydetail.jsp?storynum=2888

Also, new students are arriving just after the recent celebration of the 15th anniversary of  Kettering’s study abroad program with Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany.  Students use the popular study trip to explore Europe.  (Read more: http://www.kettering.edu/visitors/storydetail.jsp?storynum=2879).

So welcome, freshmen!  Here’s the Freshman Class at a Glance:

A-Section freshmen: 270 students

Male: 224; Female: 46

Gender: 83 % male; 17 % female (last year: 81% and 19%)

African American: 4        

Hispanic: 7

Michigan residents: 72 %

Midwest residents: 85 %

Number of states represented: 24   

Physical facilities upgrades:

A number of physical facilities updates and renovations will greet the new class and returning students:

• Physics, Computer Science and Math are completing a renovation project that divides the spaces and adds more definition to each academic area. 
• Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering opened a new Conference Room and Student Project area in the old Mechanical Engineering office, adjacent to the International Office.
• Construction of Kettering’s new incubator building on Bluff Street is “swinging steel,” which will soon give shape to the first building in Kettering’s Technology Park and will be the first seeking LEED certification in Flint.  (See: http://www.kettering.edu/visitors/storydetail.jsp?storynum=2827)
• Kettering has been working closely with the design engineers for the new Flint River Trail extension which will come through campus along University and Chevrolet avenues and is expected to begin construction spring 2010.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity is expected to start construction on its new house on University and Mathewson early this fall.
• The Recreation Center recently refinished its wood floors.
• Testing is in process for a road construction project that is slated for 2010 to redo Chevrolet Avenue from University Avenue to the bridge on Chevrolet.
• The extension from Miller Road is underway to connect Chevrolet Avenue to Miller Road.  Construction documents are currently being reviewed by the Michigan Department of Transportation.  Utility relocation will occur late in 2009, with the bulk of the road construction expected in the spring.

The new academic year begins with two special events – Orientation and the first day of the 2009-10 academic year.  Orientation is Thursday, July 9 through Sunday, July 12.  Classes begin Monday, July 13.

MEET SOME OF THE NEW FACES …

FIRST SCHOLARS: About one of every five students now coming to Kettering have had experiences in FIRST – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.  The international robotics contest for high school students was designed almost 20 years ago to showcase career options in Science, Math, and Engineering.  Kettering has been actively involved for a decade.  This year’s FIRST Scholars each received a total of $22,500 for their college education.  Kettering’s 2009-10 FIRST Scholars class is:

Eric Barch of Oxford; Team Rush (Team 27);

Caitlin Bunt of Rockford, Ill.; IMSA Robotics, (Team 2022);

Justin Cetnar of St. Clair Shores; Macomb Mathematics Science Technology Center (Team 818);

Katherine Dale of Novi; Frog Force (Team 503), will attend in B Section;

Ashley Eidsmore of Aberdeen High School, Aberdeen, Maryland; The Brigade (Team 1980);

Gage Hainer of Grand Blanc High School; The Enginerds (Team 2337);

Eric Salem of Grand Blanc High School; The Enginerds (Team 2337);

Donald Tinsley of Stoney Creek High School in Rochester; Kettering’s Metal Muscle team (Team 1506);

Ryan Todd of Plymouth High School; Lightning Robotics (Team 862), will attend in B Section; and

Quinn Wagner, home schooled in Greensboro, N.C. with dual enrollment at Guilford Technical Community College; (junior mentor to Team 2655), will attend in B Section.

Others in the entering class include the following:

Keven Bartz was #1 in his class at Kearsley High School and will study Mechanical Engineering.  He was active in Quiz Bowl, chess, soccer and the National Honor Society in high school.  He will be joined by “Top 10” classmate Andrew Sierra, who is planning to study Electrical Engineering.  Andrew is active in the martial arts, National Honor Society, golf and soccer.

The valedictorian from Randolph High School in Massachusetts will study Applied Mathematics.  Rebeccah MacKinnon said she was “done in” by her 8x tables in the third grade.  By senior year, however, she was enjoying calculus, statistics and engineering --all at the same time.  Rebeccah plays the flute and hopes to travel the world once she graduates from college.

Valedictorian Marcus Anthony Bennett from Brook Hill High School in Bullard, Texas, will major in Computer and Electrical Engineering.  He was in Headmasters Honor Guard, National Honor Roll, National Honor Society and Who’s Who Among American High School Students.  He was the state’s TAPPS biology champion and district TAPPS science champion; a choir pianist and named Mr. Tennis. 

One of three valedictorians from Ohio’s Garfield High School, near Youngstown, shared top honors with two friends – all of whom maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average through high school.  Nathan Hadzinsky will double major in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering.  He was captain of the Garfield boys soccer team, vice president of his graduating class and participated in Model United Nations. 

Marysville High School Valedictorian David Fowler was in National Honor Society and played baseball and basketball in high school.  Among his scholarships is $500 from Kimball Township Trustee Brad Barrett, who presented the educational funds to him at a township board meeting in May.

Matthew Gessler from Erie, Mich., shared valedictorian honors at Mason Senior High School.  A star in the Science Olympiad, he maintained a 4.0 grade point average all through high school.  He will study Computer Science.

The Detroit News wrote about Jacob King, who graduated from Eisenhower High School in Shelby Township.  He will study Electrical Engineering, with career plans that blend engineering and the military.  He is an Eagle Scholar, an International Honors Thespian, rugby player and active in drama and orchestra.  Read more about Jacob at: http://www.detnews.com/article/20090519/SCHOOLS/905200320/Jacob+King

Elizabeth Talsma of Zeeland, Mich., was “heavily recruited” by Harvard University but chose Kettering for multiple reasons, including FIRST robotics.  A participant in Kettering’s LITE (Lives Improve Through Engineering) program for girls, she will study Mechanical Engineering.  She is a graduate of Zeeland East High School and the recipient a West Michigan Scholarship. 

Rechelle Ewalt was named a “Great Grad” by the Lansing State Journal.  The honors student graduated from Carson City-Crystal High School, where she was involved with National Honor Society, Student Council, volleyball, the Red Cross Blood Drive, Wellness Team and Secret Santa Gift Delivery.  She will study Engineering.

Co-valedictorian Lance Dorian of DeWitt High School will study Mechanical Engineering.  He was involved in soccer, church youth group and recreational basketball in high school.  He lives in Lansing.

Luke Steele comes to Kettering from Frankenmuth High School, where he played football and participated in wrestling, tennis and band.  He will study Mechanical Engineering, with a bio-medical focus.  Luke hopes to design medical instruments and prosthetics and said he feels Kettering’s rank as a top engineering school and its lab equipment will help him toward his career goal.

Honors student Tiffany Strom from Flint’s Bentley High School will study Chemical Engineering.  She has participated in Book Club, track and power lifting.

Patrick Kostanecki of Goodells, Mich., comes to Kettering on the Howard A. Acheson Memorial Scholarship.  He is a graduate of Port Huron High School.

Honors student Kyle Deachin of Genesee Christian High School served as vice president of the National Honor Society and was on the varsity baseball team.  He will study Engineering.

Katherine Irons graduated with top honors from Brandywine High School, near Niles.  She will study Mechanical Engineering, with a bio-engineering concentration.

Salutatorian Daniel Lynch comes to Kettering from Leslie High School, near Jackson.  He was in National Honor Society, band, drama, choir, Camp Barakel engineering, Relay for Life, and he was a middle school tutor.  He will study Mechanical Engineering.

Ben Schuman of Churchville, N.Y., comes to Kettering mesmerized by FIRST robotics.  A member of the internationally competitive Team 340 at Churchville-Chili High School, his team is a past winner of the prestigious Chairman’s Award.  “(FIRST) taught me to use power tools and build a machine – what can be better than that?” he told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle in New York.

 Jake Rowe was third in his class at Marcellus High School, near Kalamazoo, and part of the boys basketball team that sported a combined GPA of 3.75 this season.  He was dually enrolled at Southwestern Michigan College; active in National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes; and he earned varsity letters in track, football and basketball.  He was a member of the All-Conference defensive line in football.  He will study Engineering.

Julia Hershey of Akron, Ohio, helped Our Lady of the Elms with a “green” addition to their school as a finishing touch of her high school career.  She will study Engineering.  Read more about the construction project in the Akron Beacon Journal at: http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/44176412.html

So welcome freshmen to Kettering University, the home of the nation’s most advanced professional co-operative education program and a national leader in the preparation of innovators and entrepreneurs.  We’re glad you’re here!

Written by Patricia Mroczek
810.762.9533
pmroczek@kettering.edu

The Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center (MI-SBTDC) has teamed with the Genesee/Shiawassee Michigan Works-Career Alliance to bring the FastTrac® NewVenture™ entrepreneurship training course to displaced workers in mid-Michigan.

The six-week program will be held at Kettering University, corner of Chevrolet and University Avenues on Tuesdays from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., May 26 through June 30. Registration is limited to 30 participants and the deadline to register is Tuesday, May 19. To register, visit www.misbtdc.org/training or call the Region 6 office of MI-SBTDC at 810-762-9660.   

Eligible dislocated workers will receive a 100 percent scholarship of the $700 tuition fee through “No Worker Left Behind” funding. Eligibility is determined by Michigan Works-Career Alliance and participants must be pre-registered. To determine eligibility, contact Carol Piesko at the Flint Career Alliance office, 810-233-5974, ext. 348.  Eligible participants must complete an orientation on Tuesday, May 19, from 2-4 p.m. at the Michigan Works-Career Alliance office at 711 N. Saginaw in Flint. 

The training is also open to anyone interested in completing a comprehensive business planning course, is appropriate for early stage businesses as well as pre-start planning, and limited scholarship assistance is available through other sponsorships. The sessions will be facilitated by Harry Blecker and Marsha Lyttle of the Region 6 MI-SBTDC. 

The course offers a ten-step planning process covered in six weeks, in which participants will develop their business concept. Readings and research, activities and action steps in and out of class will guide entrepreneurs to plan and analyze their business vision by creating a thoroughly researched and actionable business plan. It offers non-traditional, experiential learning with hands-on coaching sessions. Opportunities to network and learn from peers as well as the facilitator, business consultants, and guest speakers are a key part of the experience.

The NewVenture™ for Dislocated Workers program is a partnership with the Kauffman Foundation and the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center, whose headquarters are located at Grand Valley State University Seidman College of Business.

About MI-SBTDC:

The Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center provides counseling, training and advocacy for Michigan’s new business ventures, existing small businesses, expanding new businesses, new technology companies, and innovators. The MI-SBTDC is located at the Grand Valley State University Seidman College of Business in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As host of the MI-SBTDC State Headquarters, the Seidman College of Business oversees the twelve-region MI-SBTDC network. Entrepreneurs and small business owners may access the services of their nearest MI-SBTDC by calling (616) 331.7480 or visiting www.misbtdc.org.

Bexar County, Texas, sits at the crossroads of trade.  The U.S. national freeway system Xs at San Antonio, logistically connecting the community from the Pacific to the Atlantic and from Mexico to Canada. The Texas railway network is robust, which is also part of why one of every six jobs created in the U.S. last year was created in Texas.  Texas has been the #1 exporting state in the nation for seven consecutive years.

Bexar County (pronounced “bear”) is big.  It’s the size of a small U.S. state and it’s very old (founded by Spain in the 1600s).  Yet, the average age of Texans (33) is younger than the U.S. national average (36 years old).

Bexar County’s manufacturing and business sectors have economic momentum, but the region needs more engineers and expert technical talent – lots of them, in fact, said David Marquez, executive director of Bexar County's Economic Development Department.

Paraphrasing former Texas demographer, Dr. Steve Murdoch, Marquez said, “the Texas of today is the U.S. tomorrow. Bexar County has a strong tax base and Texas and Northern Mexico are growth areas,” he explained.  “We have active manufacturing here and 200 OEM Tier 1 supplies in a nascent automotive manufacturing corridor that includes those Mexican states that border Texas.

"This Texas-Mexico Automotive SuperCluster has final assembly facilities from GM, Toyota, Chrysler, BAE Systems, Freightliner, Peterbilt and more.  Texas added 153,700 jobs in December 2007 to 2008.  And the Texas economy has out performed the national economy since 2005.”

But, Marquez said, San Antonio employers report a need for talent in five critical areas:

• Mechanical Engineers,
• Industrial Engineers,
• Manufacturing Engineers,
• Management specialists and
• Electro Mechanical experts.

“It’s stable here, with a bright future,” Marquez added.  “We can offer strength amid the recession, but we need to stop poaching trained workers from each other.  We need a larger educated workforce who will consider Texas home.”

San Antonio’s needs and opportunities have been keeping Kettering’s Bob Nichols busy for months.  Nichols, who is Kettering’s director of external affairs, has been meeting with Marquez, Kyle Burns, president and CEO of the Free Trade Alliance of San Antonio, and others to see how the region’s workforce needs can align with what Kettering has to offer.

Nichols started in Texas with focus group research conducted by Galloway Research Service of San Antonio.  “Pat Galloway completed a market research study among San Antonio’s key business and industry executives and found some very positive conclusions, worthy of further study,” Nichols explained.  Briefly:

• San Antonio has developed a large manufacturing base and has a notable number of large employers that are global leaders in their respective industries.
• The concentration of military bases in San Antonio has historically attracted various government contractors, with needs for a technically trained workforce in science, engineering and managerial positions. 
• The need for R &D in medical and manufacturing sectors has been growing and diversifying at a rapid pace in the region.  The need for highly educated science, technical and engineering personnel far exceeds the community’s ability to supply them locally.

Employers in the research study said that the need for technically educated personnel will continue to grow over the next five to 10 years, and that an annual growth rate of 300 to 400 new jobs was conservative, Nichols reported.  Job growth in “hot sectors,” such as bio-technology and aerospace, will be much more rapid.  “Employers in our research study were unanimous in stating that they would prefer to recruit local personnel in the undergraduate fields they need,” Nichols added.

That’s why on March 16 the presidents of San Antonio College and Kettering, along with the vice chancellor of the Alamo Community Colleges in Texas, signed a fully articulated academic agreement to develop and build a stronger pool of technical talent for the San Antonio region
 
San Antonio College President Robert E. Zeigler joined Kettering President Stanley R. Liberty and Alamo Community Colleges Vice Chancellor for Economic & Workforce Development Federico Zaragoza in forming a unique academic partnership. 

The alliance is intended to ensure a smooth transition for San Antonio students, who will begin their college studies and co-op experiences locally and then transfer into the country’s most advanced professional co-operative education program.  Students will spend their first two years at San Antonio College and their final 2 ½ years in Kettering’s unique baccalaureate program.

"This partnership creates a collaborative model for a new concept in engineering education," said Zeigler.  "The joint efforts of community colleges and four-year institutions will produce adaptable 'industry-ready' engineers for the unpredictable 21st century economy."

Liberty said, "An alliance between San Antonio College and Kettering University will provide a unique educational opportunity for local students and an opportunity for San Antonio businesses to establish an early connection with local talent.  Kettering is very pleased to join with San Antonio College in this endeavor and looks forward to helping the region address its future technical workforce needs."

At Kettering, students will spend three months in academic classrooms and then return to Texas for three months to work in professional co-op jobs at a variety of San Antonio businesses.  Students are paid during their co-op terms.  At the end of the three months, students will return to Michigan to begin the three-month academic cycle again.

As the largest single-campus community college in Texas with more than 21,000 students, San Antonio College (SAC) is approved and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution, SAC is also one of the Alamo Community Colleges. 

The 2005 book "Enhancing the Community College Pathway to Engineering Careers" from the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council considers San Antonio College an exemplary institution and recognizes the college's engineering program.  In fact, with direction from Coordinator Dan G. Dimitriu, Ph.D., PE, SAC's Engineering program has more than doubled its enrollments in the last eight years from 230 students in fall 1999 to 489 students in fall 2007.  

Dimitriu also coordinates a summer bridge program for high school students interested in Engineering, and partners with industry and other universities to help students continue their education and ultimately embark on Engineering careers.  
 
Kettering University, founded in 1919, has long been a leader in the preparation of technical and managerial leaders for industry and society and is a national leader in professional co-operative education.  It is the only co-op school in the country that sends its entire student body into professional co-op jobs.  Income from the co-op term is a significant resource to help pay college expenses.  

For more on San Antonio College, visit www.accd.edu/sac/

Written by Patricia Mroczek

810.762.9533

pmroczek@kettering.edu

The "Lunacy" was fun this weekend, but isn't fun the goal of FIRST Robotics? 
 
Even conservative estimates of the crowd size in Kettering University's Recreation Center on Friday and Saturday (March 6-7, 2009) totaled more than 2,000 visitors for the two days -- making it Kettering's largest robotics event ever.  The 2009 theme was "Lunacy," in honor of the 40th anniversary of the moon walk in 1969.
 
"It was almost perfection," said Bob Nichols, Kettering's director of external relations who co-chaired this district contest.  "The quality of play and enthusiasm went up three notches from Friday to Saturday," Nichols said.  "We had well over 1,000 people a day attend our event.  It was an excellent opportunity for us to show off our buildings, labs, faculty and especially our students.  I send my congratulations to all our FIRST participants."

Nichols said the event attracted some new team names to campus, including the Desperate Penguins of Okemos, the Fighting Pi of Armada and the MacGyvers from Lapeer East High School.  The U.P.'s Copperbots made the long drive from Calumet and the Fighting Tuna swam upstream from Birmingham.

Old friends like Big Mo from Carman-Ainsworth, F.I.R.E. from Flint Public Schools and the Leviathons of Fenton helped host the competition.  Co-chairing the district competition with Nichols was Pat Major of Goodrich, who brought along the former national champions Martian and More Martian teams from Goodrich High School to compete.

Kettering's own Metal Muscle was on the team roster, too, assisted by Dr. Henry "Doc K" Kowalski of Mechanical Engineering, who split his time between advising the Metal Muscle mentors and recruiting incoming freshmen in his unique FIRST style.  Other faculty who stopped by to see the games were ME's Tim Cameron, Janet Brelin-Fornari and Joel Berry, who brought his daughter, Kim; ECE's Mark Thompson, Vice Presidents Michael Harris and Dennis Washington and Marketing's Julie Ulseth, to mention just a few.

A three-team alliance from Goodrich, Midland and Rochester Hills won the Kettering District, which included 40 of Michigan's best high school robotics teams.  The winners are:
Team 70, More Martians from Goodrich High School, 
Team 245, Adambots from Rochester Adams High School and 
Team 2619, The Charge from Midland Public Schools. 
 
They beat a three-team alliance, who received the District Finalist Awards:
Team 65, the Huskie Brigade from Pontiac Northern High School,
Team, 2586, Copperbots from Calumet High School and
Team 2771, Code Red from Grand River Preparatory High School in Grandville.
 
The event's prestigious honor, The Chairman's Award, went to Team 33, the Killer Bees from Notre Dame Preparatory in Auburn Hills for their blend of technological skill, entrepreneurial enthusiasm and community service that extends overseas.
 
Other awards and recipients are:
Engineering Inspiration: Team 68, Truck Town Thunder from Pontiac.

Rookie All-Star: Team 2771, Code Red from Grandville.

Delphi's Driving Tomorrow's Technology: Team 548, Robostangs from Northville High School.

General Motors Industrial Design: Team 70, More Martians from Goodrich.

Motorola Quality: Team 245, Adambots from Rochester Hills.

Rockwell Automation Innovation in Control: Team 1504, Desperate Penguins from Okemos High School and Lansing Christian High School.

Xerox Creativity: Team 1718, the Fighting Pi from Armada.

Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Entrepreneurship: Team 27, Team Rush from Clarkston.

Rookie Inspiration: Team 3060, the Fighting Tuna from Roeper High School in Birmingham.

Johnson & Johnson Gracious Professionalism: Team 2619, The Charge from Midland.

Imagery: Team 1025, Impi Robotics from Ferndale.

Chrysler Team Spirit: Team 2771, Code Red from Grandville.

Highest Rookie Seed, Team 2771, Code Red from Grandville.

Underwriters Laboratories Industrial Safety: Team 2337, the Enginerds from Grand Blanc.

Best Website: Team 245, Adambots from Rochester Hills.

Judges' Award: Team 1, Juggernauts from Pontiac.

Judges' Award: Team 862, Lightning Robotics from Canton.

All 40 teams at the Kettering District were from Michigan. They were:

Team 1, The Juggernauts, Pontiac

Team 27, Team Rush, Clarkston

Team 33, Killer Bees, Auburn Hills

Team 49, Robotic Knights, Saginaw

Team 65, Huskie Brigade, Pontiac

Team 66, Flyers, Ypsilanti

Team 68, Truck Town Thunder, Pontiac

Team 70, More Martians, Goodrich

Team 107, Team Robotics, Holland

Team 245, Adambots, Rochester Hills

Team 302, Dragons, Lake Orion

Team 314, Big Mo, Flint

Team 322, Flint F.I.R.E., Flint

Team 397, Knight Riders, Flint

Team 468, Aftershock, Flint

Team 470, Alpha Omega Robotics, Ypsilanti

Team 494, Martians, Goodrich

Team 548, RoboStangs, Northville

Team 818, Steel Armadillos, Warren

Team 830, Rat Pack, Ann Arbor

Team 862, Lightning Robotics, Canton

Team 894, Chargers Robotics, Flint

Team 910, Foley Freeze, Madison Heights

Team 1025, IMPI Robotics, Ferndale

Team 1189, Gearheads, Grosse Pointe

Team 1243, Dragons, Swartz Creek

Team 1322, Leviathons, Fenton

Team 1504, Desperate Penguins, Okemos

Team 1506, Metal Muscle, North Oakland County

Team 1684, MacGyvers, Lapeer

Team 1718, Fighting Pi, Armada

Team 1783, Firebots, West Branch

Team 2145, Hazmats, Lake Fenton

Team 2163, Chrome Panthers, Lapeer

Team 2337, Enginerds, Grand Blanc

Team 2586, Copperbots, Calumet

Team 2619, The Charge, Midland

Team 2627, Grace Tech Royals, Ann Arbor

Team 2771, Code Red, Grandville

Team 3060, The Fighting Tuna, Birmingham

For more details on this list, visit: https://my.usfirst.org/myarea/index.lasso?page=teamlist&menu=false&event=GG&year=2009&event_type=FRC

The Kettering University FIRST Robotics District was one of seven district events in Michigan.  Michigan will also have a state championship contest in Ypsilanti in early April.  Nichols said that the FIRST in Michigan district competition is a model for the nation and is based, in part, on the success of the low-cost Rookie Regional hosted last year at Kettering University.

Additionally, there will be 40 regional competitions in the U.S., Canada and Israel, which will lead to the 2009 FIRST Championship at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, April 16-18.

FIRST Robotics (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is now in its 18th season and is a national effort to inspire youth to explore career possibilities in engineering, science and technology. The event is a head-to-head competition between large radio-controlled robots built by teams of high school students and sponsoring engineers.

For more on FIRST's program in Michigan, visit www.firstinmichigan.org.

Watch WWJ Newsradio 950 video coverage of the event.

Check out more photos of this exciting event. 

Written by Patricia Mroczek

810.762.8533

pmroczek@kettering.edu