MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS GETS NEW NAME AND NEW PROGRAM
Just as technology changes to meet the needs of consumers, the name of the Department of Manufacturing Systems in the School of Technology has been changed to more broadly reflect the School's vision to strengthen its presence in the technology research community.
The new name – Department of Applied Engineering Technology – was approved in November. In addition, the department is offering a new Bachelor of Science degree in motorsports technology.
The new motorsports technology program is a technical and management course of study designed for the sustainability of the motorsports industry. The vision of the degree program is to develop motorsports professionals who have theoretical knowledge and skills to fulfill the human resource needs of corporate sponsors, racing team owners, track facilities, product/service support suppliers. The path to a stand-alone degree program has been a long one.
The Department of Automotive and Manufacturing Technology was established in 1967. 1n 1991, the name was changed to the Department of Manufacturing Systems. A decade later, in the fall of 2001, automotive courses were offered without the benefit of a degreed or certified course of study. And the official motorsports concentration was first offered in the fall of 2004.
Motorsports technology has experienced significant growth since 2005, when there were only nine students enrolled. Currently, there are 40 students enrolled.
"The students we produce are some of the best, yet there aren't enough to meet the industrial need," said Ji Y. Shen, chair of applied engineering technology.
Even with its smaller enrollment, when compared to other academic programs, the track record of the motorsports program at N.C. A&T speaks volumes. The program has received coverage in national publications such as Black Enterprise and Ebony magazines, and it has been featured in several newspaper articles. In addition, several graduates now hold positions with NASCAR, Richard Petty Enterprises, and Jack Roush Racing.
To bolster future enrollment, A&T is coordinating a "Two Plus Two" transfer program partnership with Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. The program would allow students there who complete a two-year associate's program in motorsports management the opportunity to smoothly transition into A&T's program.
For more information, contact the Department of Applied Engineering Technology, located in Price Hall, at (336) 334-7585.
Submitted by Jeuron O. Dove, jodove@ncat.edu
WFMY-TV news anchor Sandra Hughes and NASA administrator Charles F. Bolden Jr. will receive the Doctor of Humanities degree during North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University's Fall Commencement, Saturday, Dec. 11, at the Greensboro Coliseum, where Bolden will deliver the commencement address.
Hughes, a trailblazing news anchor and multimedia journalist, has made numerous contributions to the advancement of broadcast journalism in a career that has spanned nearly 40 years. The history-making broadcaster was the first African American woman in the Piedmont region of North Carolina to host her own daily talk show, as well as the entertainment show "P.M. Magazine" in the Southeast region.
The Durham, N.C., native was raised in Greensboro and received her B.A. degree in English from N.C. A&T in 1969. She started her broadcasting career at WFMY in 1972. In 1974, she became host of her own talk show, "Sandra and Friends." During that time, some members of the WFMY viewing audience objected to seeing a woman of color on the air and, as a result, she was met with threatening letters, hateful phone calls and public confrontations. Despite the adversity, she persevered and carried out her duties to much success.
Hughes has spent a significant portion of her career giving back her talents to the next generation of aspiring journalists. She has made hundreds of appearances and presentations for elementary, middle and high schools and colleges throughout North Carolina. In addition, she is a founding co-occupant of the News & Record/Janice Bryant Howroyd Endowed Professor position in the North Carolina A&T State University Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Bolden was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to head NASA in 2009. His confirmation marked the beginning of his second stint with the nation's premier space agency, having previously served 14 years as a member of NASA's Astronaut Office during his 34-year career with the U.S. Marine Corps.
As an administrator, Bolden leads the NASA team and manages its resources to advance the agency's mission and goals. Prior to his stint as an administrator, the Columbia, S.C., native was CEO of JACK and PANTHER LLC, a small business enterprise that provided leadership, military and aerospace consulting and motivational speaking.
Bolden is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy where he received his B.S. degree in electrical science. He has an M.S. degree in systems management from the University of Southern California. He was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2006.
The new motorsports technology program is a technical and management course of study designed for the sustainability of the motorsports industry.