GVSU engineering celebrates 30 years of co-op education

The School of Engineering at Grand Valley State University is celebrating 30 years of developing engineering talent for Michigan and the region through its co-op program. 

What started as a handful of students in 1986 has grown to nearly 300 junior- and senior-level students this year. As the School of Engineering grew in enrollment, so did cooperative education, a program that requires students to complete a full year of paid intern work for an employer. 

Paul Plotkowski, dean of the Seymour and Esther Padnos College of Engineering and Computing, said about 83 percent of engineering alumni live and work in Michigan; 66 percent are in West Michigan. In May, a record-breaking cohort of 140 junior-level students will begin their co-ops. 

"We're a teaching-oriented university, and the co-op program gets our students ready for life and careers, not just theory," Plotkowski said. "Most students are offered full-time jobs before they graduate, many times at companies where they completed their co-op." 

While students often complete co-ops at companies located in West Michigan, many have worked for international companies located in countries like the U.K., Germany, Switzerland, Mexico and Austria. The James R. Sebastian Endowed Chair in Engineering Cooperative Education was established in 2008 to help prepare undergraduates for their co-op experience.

The anniversary not only marks 30 years of student success, but it marks longtime partnerships with more than 250 companies in West Michigan, including JR Automation Technologies. The company employees 58 Grand Valley graduates, many of whom started as students completing their co-ops. 

"In 2001 we started with a few students and were not sure exactly how to best utilize them," said Kevin Bowe, director of engineering and co-op coordinator for JR Automation. "Within a couple months we didn’t know how we accomplished projects without them. We are constantly looking for the next JR employee when we are interviewing Grand Valley students."

The School of Engineering will celebrate its milestone with a reception August 4 at the Kennedy Hall of Engineering on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

For more information, visit www.gvsu.edu/pcec/30-years-homepage-98.htm.