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College-Industry Partnerships at its Best Introduction

This paper describes an integrated graduate program at Gannon University in cooperation with a practicum at GE Transportation leading to a Master of Science in mechanical, electrical, or embedded software engineering degree. Both are located in Erie, Pennsylvania. The program includes the support of GE Transportation engineering mentors for directing the graduate students and Gannon University faculty mentors for administering the program and providing student support. The Program initially started in 1989 with full implementation in 1997.

The program goal is to give the engineering graduates the education and training needed to solve problems related to the design and implementation for GE Transportation. The specific program objectives are:

≠ Provide GE Transportation with a stream of well-trained engineering workforce. ≠ Provide GE Transportation with professional expertise and local resources to assist with advanced technologies. ≠ Provide graduate students with a curriculum focusing on mechanical/electromechanical, thermal/fluid, electrical, electronic, and software systems. ≠ Provide/develop courses in the subject areas related to the activities and needs of GE Transportation.

Program Description

This is a professional track work study academic program combined with application training on actual industrial problems. At the same time students are exposed to real-world problems through hands-on experience. The program consists of one program coordinator from GE Transportation and one program coordinator from Gannon University. Students are selected for this track based on academic background, self motivation, and leadership, interpersonal and communications skills. Each student is assigned a Gannon University professor as a mentor while working at GE Transportation. The mentor advises the student on his academic work and guides the student on engineering projects related to GE Transportation. The projects are carefully chosen to reinforce classroom work and to develop the student into outstanding engineers. In addition to the mentorship in technical areas, the professor also mentors the student in leadership skills, work and personal ethics, and communication skills that are needed in the industrial workplace. The student is also assigned a mentor from GE Transportation. The mentor assigns the projects to the student including the specific tasks to be completed and directly interacts with the student for day to day activities on all projects. This track requires that the student work on these industrial projects half time during the school year and full time during the summer. Program consists of 12 courses (36 credits) to be completed over a two year period.

The graduate work-study under which the student works provides the following:

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Aggarwal, M. (2010, June), College Industry Partnerships At Its Best Paper presented at 2010 Annual Conference & Exposition, Louisville, Kentucky. 10.18260/1-2--15665