The History of Kettering University
What began more than 100 years ago as a night school for engineers, managers, designers, and technicians in the rapidly-evolving automobile industry has now grown into one of the world’s most renowned STEM focused institutions.
FROM GROUNDBREAKING TO GENERAL MOTORS
Founded as The School of Automobile Trades in 1919 by a group of visionaries in Flint, Michigan, Kettering University opened under the direction of Major Albert Sobey to train engineering and management personnel. By 1923, the school had grown to offer a full four year cooperative education program that placed equal emphasis on workplace experience and classroom learning. A first of its kind program, the school grew quickly, ultimately enrolling more than 600 full-time students; this success led to the renaming of the institution as the Flint Institute of Technology.
“Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.”
CHARLES KETTERING
Recognizing the importance of the school and cooperative education in shaping the engineers and leaders of the future, the General Motors Corporation (GM) took over financial support of the school in 1926 to develop its own engineers and managers under a new name, the General Motors Institute (GMI). In 1945, the Institute added a fifth-year thesis requirement and became a degree-granting college with a continuing commitment to deeply integrated cooperative education.
In the ‘50s and ‘60s, GMI continued to evolve. It dropped 53 outdated courses and added 70 new ones, along with an optional fifth year for students. Co-ops became a standard six weeks. The University established faculty committees and took a more active role in planning curricula. Alumni wanted a way to connect, and the Alumni Association was born.
With the divestment of GM in 1982 came another name change — to GMI Engineering & Management Institute. Administrators decided to keep the proven cooperative education program and expand the number of co-op employers. During the 1980s, graduate programs to on- and off-campus students were also introduced.
DEDICATED TO INNOVATION — AND A FOUNDING FATHER
In 1998, the institution changed its name a final time to honor the man who not only helped found this institution, but also had a strong influence in developing the structure of professional cooperative education: Charles F. Kettering.
When Albert Sobey started the school in 1919, the man who was right by his side in its construction was his friend, Charles Kettering. An accomplished inventor, Kettering held 186 patents at the end of his life. He was the founder of DELCO Electronics Corp. and head of research at GM from 1920 to 1947. Kettering revolutionized the auto industry with the invention of the electric-start motor and leaded gasoline. He worked with DuPont to develop Freon and invented the first practical-colored paints for automobiles.
His accomplishments led to him being featured on the cover of TIME magazine in 1933. His other inventions include: the electronic cash register, two-stroke diesel engine, the world’s first aerial missile called the “bug,” and an incubator for premature infants. In 1927, he created the Kettering Foundation — a non-partisan research organization — and later helped to found the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
A distinguished engineer, inventor, scientist, social philosopher, and humanitarian, Charles Kettering’s life and legacy embody the University’s vision: Kettering University will be the first choice for students and all our partners seeking to make a better world through technological innovation, leadership, and service.
COMMITMENT TO REVITALIZING CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY
Built on values that foster respect, integrity, creativity, collaboration and excellence in growth, global leadership, community outreach and an engaged community of stakeholders, Kettering is committed to Flint, the city it calls home.
This commitment has been expressed in many ways, including the founding of the University Avenue Corridor Coalition (UACC), bringing together students, faculty, and staff alongside residents and area institutions to work collectively to beautify and draw investment to the area.
The Kettering University GM Mobility Research Center, a vehicle and mobility systems development proving ground and outdoor research facility on campus, puts Kettering and Flint at the forefront of autonomous vehicle research/development, safety, and technology. Located on a 21-acre parcel of property that formerly housed GM’s Chevrolet Division (“Chevy in the Hole”) facility, the center features a 3.25-acre customizable test pad, low-speed handling loops with elevation and surface changes, as well as optional routes and other features to create diverse testing environments.
Located in the heart of campus is the Learning Commons, on which the University began construction in February 2020. Funded by donors, alumni, and community partners, it will serve as a hub of collaboration and innovation for the Kettering community and beyond. With state of-the-art facilities and re-imagined spaces designed for advanced technology and creativity, it will set a new standard for educational institutions globally.
MERGING THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
Today, Kettering University is adding transformational value to its students and stakeholders through exemplary programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and business just as its founding fathers built on a tradition of cooperative education and preparation of future leaders for a global society.
At Kettering, the groundbreaking concept of an education where practice meets theory in equal measure has not only proven successful, it has evolved to include hundreds of companies employing Kettering students in locations around the world. These companies span a wide range of industries, including automotive and aerospace, banking, healthcare, and more.
The University’s undergraduate degree programs, graduate programs, and fully online degrees and certificates through Kettering Global are delivered by a faculty that includes experts in fields ranging from cancer research to renewable energy to fuel cells to entrepreneurship.
Designated a “Best in the Midwest” university by the Princeton Review and U.S. News and World Report in 2021, Kettering University consistently tops national and international rankings for its academic programs, return on investment, graduate success, and more.
“The goal of most universities is education. The goal of Kettering is mastery.”
D R . R O B E R T K . M C M A H A N
KETTERING UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT, 2011 TO PRESENT
The Kettering track record speaks for itself, with alumni who are leaders in cutting-edge technology and mobility including founders, CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, and vice presidents of companies such as: General Motors, Walmart, the Gap, FedEx, Indy Motor Speedway, Neilson, Navistar, Detroit Labs, and Hurley Medical Center.
With reverence to its past, lessons learned in its present, and a focus on the future, the University today continues to move boldly forward with the same grit and determination on which it was founded.