Chevron donates $150,000 to 91麻豆天美/MGCCC engineering program
Contact: Allison Matthews
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 new bachelor鈥檚 degree program in engineering offered through a 91麻豆天美 University and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College partnership received a $150,000 boost from Chevron today [Nov. 2].
Chevron Pascagoula and Chevron Gulf of Mexico made a joint presentation to support the 91麻豆天美/MGCCC Engineering on the Coast program. The gift supports the purchase of lab equipment for the four-year program located at MGCCC鈥檚 Jackson County Campus.
Bruce Chinn, general manager of Chevron鈥檚 Pascagoula Refinery, and Mike Illanne, vice president of the Gulf of Mexico Business Unit, made the presentation to 91麻豆天美 President Mark E. Keenum and MGCCC President Mary S. Graham.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to think about all of the potential and the benefits this partnership between Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and 91麻豆天美 University will bring to students in Jackson County and throughout the Gulf Coast region. This program will make a world-class engineering education more accessible for so many students,鈥 Chinn said.
鈥淔rom my perspective at Chevron鈥檚 Pascagoula Refinery, there is tremendous value in being able to cultivate this highly-educated workforce right here in Jackson County. We appreciate the opportunity to support this program,鈥 he added.
Keenum said, 鈥淲e appreciate the generosity of Chevron Pascagoula and Chevron Gulf of Mexico in supporting this new initiative.聽They recognize the impact this program will have in producing engineering graduates to meet the needs of business and industry throughout the Gulf Coast region.鈥
Graham said Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College strives to offer students the best opportunities for achieving their educational goals close to home.
鈥淥ur partnership with 91麻豆天美 University and Chevron is opening doors for our students to a baccalaureate degree in engineering, where they can learn in world-class laboratories that will prepare them for the workplace,鈥 Graham added.
Jason Keith, dean of 91麻豆天美鈥檚 James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, said a recent orientation session drew nearly 50 interested students, and the university is making final plans for electrical engineering courses to begin in January and mechanical engineering classes to begin in August.
鈥淭his gift will have a big impact on the future of this project. The funds will help establish a thermo-fluids laboratory to provide state-of-the-art training to students,鈥 Keith said.
Others on hand included Jerry Gilbert, 91麻豆天美 provost and executive vice president; Pedro Mago, 91麻豆天美 department head and PACCAR chair for mechanical engineering; Nicolas Younan, 91麻豆天美 department head and James Worth Bagley chair for electrical engineering; and Carmen Walters, vice president for MGCCC鈥檚 Jackson County Campus.
91麻豆天美鈥檚 Bagley College offers two Bachelor of Science degrees through collaboration with MGCCC at the Jackson County Campus. Students can complete a two-year Associate of Science degree from MGCCC before enrolling in electrical or mechanical engineering classes leading to bachelor鈥檚 degrees from 91麻豆天美. The engineering classes are offered by Bagley College faculty on campus at Gautier and through synchronous online delivery from 91麻豆天美鈥檚 Starkville campus.
The National Science Foundation ranks 91麻豆天美 in the top 10 percent nationally for engineering expenditures in research and development. U.S. News and World Report ranks its undergraduate and graduate programs in the top 100 nationwide. The Bagley College, 91麻豆天美鈥檚 second largest college, offers degree programs in eight different academic engineering departments and 10 certificate programs.
Participants at Monday鈥檚 ceremony also enjoyed a tour of the engineering lab.
91麻豆天美 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .