Kettering President Robert McMahan returned to his home state as part of STEM Summit III in Tampa, Fla., Oct. 25-26, a high-powered collaborative effort to explore ways that Florida can prepare high school students for the challenges they will face in the global marketplace.

“The nation suffers from a shortage of students preparing for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), and this poses huge challenges for Florida companies,” Dr. McMahan said.  “One of our jobs as educators is to increase the number of highly capable students in the STEM pipeline, which is profoundly important to our nation’s and to Florida’s competitive success in this global economy.”

Dr. McMahan is in the impressive lineup of speakers that will delve into this complicated issue during STEM Summit III.  Events begin on Tuesday, Oct. 25, during a reception from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Museum of Science and Industry, also known as MOSI, 4801 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa.  Kettering University is hosting the reception, where comments will be offered by featured speakers Dr. McMahan, Jon Dudas, president of FIRST Robotics, and Astronaut Leland Melvin, who is now NASA-Associate Administrator for Education.

On Wednesday, Oct. 26, speakers at STEM Summit III range from executives at companies like Jabil Circuit and the Nielsen Co., to the Tampa Bay Partnership's Stuart Rogel, Florida University System Chancellor Frank Brogan, Workforce Florida CEO Chris Hart, Dr. Robert Cherinka of MITRE, and Dr. McMahan.  Summit moderator is Paul Wahnish, president of the Career Technical Education Foundation, Inc.  Sessions will explore solutions to the challenges of educating and training a future workforce that fits with regional business plans and workforce initiatives.

Dr. McMahan, who is originally from Winter Park, Fla., said increasing experiential learning opportunities for students is one of the solutions.  “I grew up in the I-4 corridor.  Many of my childhood friend’s parents – and mine as well -- either worked for NASA or one of the many high technology companies in the area that supported the military or the Cape.  From a very early age at the dinner table I learned about the critical need for science and engineering talent.”

“Even then, many of those same companies worked to develop STEM talent by supporting experiential learning and co-op programs at local universities,” he explained.  “Kettering University was founded almost 100 years ago on a hands-on experiential learning model in STEM and as a result our graduates are known for their ability to add value to the companies they join from day one.  We want to help play an important part in supplying Tampa and Florida companies with the talented graduates they need.  It’s in our DNA,” he concluded.

For more information on STEM Summit III, visit www.careertechedfoundation.org

About Kettering University
Kettering University is a nationally-recognized STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and Business university and a national leader in combining a rigorous academic environment with rich opportunities for experiential learning and cooperative education and a focus on the learning experience of the individual student.  For more information, visit www.kettering.edu.

Contact: Patricia Mroczek, Kettering University Communications
810-240-1889
pmroczek@kettering.edu