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A diverse world of possibilities was presented to students who were interested in discovering their path towards a field in technology.
The College of Technology (COT) hosted more than 600 students from 36 schools, 200 of which were from the local middle school, high school and community college on Friday, March 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Students got a hands-on experience with different aspects of the technology center through demonstrations.
Engineering technology, graphics and imaging technology, technology and workforce learning, construction and automotive technology were the five areas that were showcased.
Students went through different COT departments that included showcases like designing and creating graphic images, operating simulators or pieces of equipment and getting to see how items are made and used in the industry.
Several faculty and university students set up the demonstrations and got to interact with the visiting students and show them how different types of technology impacts their everyday lives.
The visiting students got a walkthrough of the building and were shown all the main departments before they could go to the demonstrations that they found interesting.
Robert Frisbee, interim dean of the COT, was walking through the building to visit with some students.
“It’s beneficial for the students to recognize the degree opportunities they can pursue and helps them see what jobs they can get when they graduate,” Frisbee said.
One of the demonstrations included Baja cars. Trenton Hartman, freshman in automotive technology, was at the station informing students about how the cars were built and their function.
“Baja is a competition basically for anyone but mostly part of the senior design class,” Hartman said. “They design the car, design all the suspension and steering and everything and we have shop kids that’ll build it.”
He has partnered with the engineers in the shop to help build one of the cars which the crew will take to Tucson, Ariz. to compete in the Baja SAE competition.
The automotive technology program also held a few demonstrations and displays such as a diesel and heavy equipment lab, collision lab and an informational session on how to become a student in automotive technology.
Zaw Aung, senior in plastics engineering, helped by aiding the professors who were talking to students about their program and laboratory where their processing machines are housed.
“My favorite part was when one of my classmates and I helped organize our products, so the students could take it and see what our program is about,” Aung said.
He chose to help because he wanted to lend a hand to his professors during the busy day.
The plastics engineering program had demonstrations on injection and blow molding available for students to watch.
Other departments such as agricultural management had displays and activities such as “manufacture spinners” and a wood science lab.
The open house was able to introduce different aspects of technology that students were able to interact with and allow them to envision the plethora of possibilities.
