Laron Burrows ‘17 wants his fellow graduates to think about more than just the technical skills they have received during their education at Kettering University. He wants them to use those abilities to make the world a better place.

“Innovation is what we do as Kettering graduates,” Burrows said. “However it is our duty to think about the long-term societal impact of our innovations to not repeat the mistakes of the past. (We need to) display empathy towards others while we are creating a Kettering Built world.”

Burrows, a native of Freeport, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas, will deliver the Valedictory to the University during Kettering University’s 109th Commencement proceedings at 11 a.m. June 11 in the Connie and Jim John Recreation Center.

Burrows is graduating with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He initially discovered Kettering as a participant in the Academically Interested Minds (AIM) pre-college program. AIM is a five-week residential summer program which began in 1984 and has continued to thrive over the years. The program is designed to augment Kettering University's efforts to reach a greater number of multicultural students who have a strong interest in the areas of engineering, math, science and business. Burrows completed the program in 2011.

“In AIM, I had the chance to understand the dynamic of Kettering and the co-op education model while going to school,” Burrows said.

As a student at Kettering, he was active in the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Black Unity Congress (BUC) and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

He worked as a co-op employee for DTE Energy and accepted full-time employment with DTE after graduation. He works as a Chemical Engineer supporting their power and industrial business sector.

Burrows is a recipient of a prestigious President’s Medal, awarded to graduating seniors who exhibit exemplary scholarship, professionalism on the job and community involvement. At Kettering, Burrows enjoyed the access to faculty and ability to engage in meaningful research.

“My favorite experiences at Kettering were being able to collaborate on research with my professors and how accessible our professors are at Kettering,” Burrows said. “It made learning easy when I had questions or when I wanted to research more on a topic.”

“Laron exemplifies all of the best qualities of a Kettering graduate,” said Dr. Susan Farhat, Kettering University Chemical Engineering faculty member. “He is an exceptional problem solver who is driven to succeed in his career. With his innovative ideas and entrepreneurial mindset, I expect great things from him in the future.”

For more information on Kettering University Commencement, visit kettering.edu/commencement.