Image: President Kirk Kramer and Acer Campbell
President Kirk Kramer spoke as part of an education panel at the AEROOne conference on September 4 in Rochester, MI. This conference provides an opportunity for aerospace community members to gather, network and discuss innovations in the Michigan aerospace ecosystem. Kramer was on a talent panel titled “A Much Needed Discussion Between Industry & Academia.”
Additionally, SC4 student Acer Campbell spoke as part of a student panel at the conference. Campbell was part of a talent panel titled “Discussion between Industry and Students.” Campbell was the only community college student on the panel, which included high school students, a career technical school student, and a PhD student from Michigan Technological University.
Kramer was on a panel with Dr. Michelle Merusi, Vice President of Washtenaw Community College and oversees Economic & College Development, Mark Combe, MADE Academy Coach for Stevenson High School, Jennifer Paugh-Macomber, Campus President of MIAT College of Technology and Nicole Gasper, CEO of West Michigan Aviation Academy. The panel provided productive discussion and insights into academic institutions. Another panel was held afterward, featuring representatives from the University of Michigan, Oakland University, Grand Valley State University, and Michigan Technological University.
“Students are first at SC4,” said President Kramer. “SC4 advocates for our student participation on local, regional and national levels. Giving our students a place at a conference with the University of Michigan, Michigan Technological University, Grand Valley State University, Western Michigan University, and Oakland University at the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan conference is evidence of our outstanding academics and our local contribution to higher education.”
The event was developed by the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan and hosted over two hundred and eighty people from one hundred and fifteen companies across nineteen states. SC4 supports efforts to keep students interested in STEM by connecting to upper elementary, middle school, and high school students to explore careers based on the sciences. Conference attendees heard the emphasis SC4 places on developing a talent pipeline in collaboration with others and an emphasis on reducing barriers to student enrollment and success.
For more information about enrolling and community involvement at SC4, please visit SC4.edu.
For media inquiries, please contact Sarah Rutallie, Chief of Staff/ Senior Vice President, at srutallie@sc4.edu
