OLS Optimistic About Its Future Direction and Leadership

by Bill Krug, interim department head, organizational leadership and supervision

The 2007-2008 year has been a great one for the Organizational Leadership and Supervision (OLS) department. New department head. New graduate program initiatives, and a completed self study for accreditation purposes. Great placement numbers for our graduates. Increased service and engagement activities to enhance the department, the college, the University, and the state. Oh. … Excuse me. … 2007-2008 is the future.

But you must pardon the optimism among the 24 OLS faculty. Dean Dennis Depew, on March 24, announced the selection of Dr. Michael Beyerlein as our new department head. Dr. Beyerlein comes to us from the Department of Psychology at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. He is the founder and director of the Center for Collaborative Organizations, as well as being very active in graduate education. We are looking forward to working with him on all of the above mentioned initiatives in the future.

Like the other departments in the college, we are working to develop a stand alone graduate program in OLS. The program we are designing will have a leadership and organizational development focus with two student options – an academic track (research) as well as a practitioner option (engagement and better service business and community leadership needs).

On the accreditation side of things, we have investigated the field and have narrowed our opportunities to a short list. The department will complete a self study this next year and continue to work toward completing accreditation.

Placement of OLS graduates remains very strong with over 90 percent of our graduates securing employment upon graduation. We are certainly proud of that and continue to work diligently as a department to keep those numbers high. The OLS department is also very proud of our contributions to the college’s diversity metrics.

The department is actively participating in the Entrepreneurship Certificate Program. Dr. Michael Menefee has been instrumental in developing the first two courses in the certificate program and remains active in teaching them. We have faculty active in international education and increasing student participation in these activities as well.

This is an exciting time to be a part of the College of Technology in support of its strategic goals related learning, discovery and engagement.

In the News

Senior Send-off Includes Knowledge Showcase

Faculty, staff, and senior students gathered Friday for the traditional senior send-off picnic in front of Knoy Hall.

In addition to the picnic feast, the IRL cut-away car from the MET 490S course was on display, and Matt Theobald (pictured at left with Dean Mary Sadowski), one of our graduating seniors in MET, shared the driver's seat of his recently completed '65 Shelby Cobra (in park) with those at the picnic.

Using knowledge gained his family's business and his Purdue education, Theobald starting building the car from a kit in June 2006, turned it over to a paint shop in the fall, and got it licensed and on the road over spring break. Although perfectly suited for warm weather, Theobald will not initially be taking his Shelby Cobra with him to Cupertino, CA. where he will be starting his career with Apple, Inc.

Day in College' Puts High School Students in Purdue Classes

Students from Louisville, southeastern Indiana and Columbus-area high schools recently experienced their first day in college— while still enrolled in high school.

The Purdue College of Technology at New Albany was the host of the first Day in College program for high school juniors and seniors on March 16. On April 13, the Purdue College of Technology at Columbus was the host of a similar event at that location.

"This new Purdue program encourages high school counselors and teachers to nominate college-bound students to get a sneak peek at college," said Andy Schaffer, director of the Purdue College of Technology at New Albany and Columbus. "It's a wonderful chance not only for Purdue to showcase its programs, but also for students, who can get an up-close look at the world-class educational opportunities Purdue offers right in their community."

Students and their parents had the opportunity to attend customized courses, tour each location's facilities and learn more about the degree programs that each location offers.

Students from Greensburg, Columbus North, Columbus East, South Decatur, South Dearborn, Jennings County and Hauser high schools were selected to attend the Columbus event. At the New Albany event, students from Jeffersonville, New Albany, New Washington, Providence, Salem and South Central high schools in Indiana participated, as well as students from Oldham County and Trimble County high schools in Kentucky.

Both locations plan to offer the program again in the fall.

Purdue-Supported Teams Compete in National Toy Design Contest

Purdue University faculty and students have helped two teams of students from Sunnyside Middle School in Lafayette that have been selected to participate in the TOYchallenge national competition on April 21-22 in San Diego. TOYchallenge is a toy design contest for fifth- through eighth-graders in which students create a game or toy and learn about science, engineering and the design process at the same time. The competition is open to all students in those grades, but at least half of each team's members must be girls

Nancy Denton, professor and associate head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology, said this is the third year that Purdue has been involved with TOYchallenge and the second year that a local team has gone to nationals.

"Purdue and our department have for several years worked with the Ford Female Recruiting Initiative, which took our students out to schools in the community in an effort to educate girls about careers in engineering and technology," she said. "Our students enjoyed doing that, but they were looking for a chance to do this on a more ongoing basis, and TOYchallenge provides us with a great opportunity to do that."

Krispy Kreme doughnut vouchers are being sold to raise more money for travel. Vouchers can be purchased at the mechanical engineering technology office (Knoy 145). Five dollars buys a voucher for a dozen original glazed doughnuts. Vouchers do not expire and will include a $1 off coupon for a second dozen glazed doughnuts. Voucher sales will continue through April 19. Payment can be in cash or by check to Lafayette Sunnyside Middle School. Donations to Sunnyside for the TOYchallenge teams are also welcome. More Info.

Chicago Students From "After School Matters" Visit Knoy

Students and faculty from “After School Matters,” a City of Chicago initiative, were visitors to Knoy on March 31.

The After School Matters program is a non-profit organization that partners with the City of Chicago, the Chicago Public Schools, and community-based organizations to expand out-of-school opportunities for Chicago teens, including hands-on job training in the arts, sports, technology, manufacturing, communications, and science. The students attended the National Rube Goldberg Contest and then toured the college’s Manufacturing Center and Manufacturing Processes Laboratories.

Jeff Holewinski, a graduate of the MFET program, organized the tour. Holewinski is an instructor at the Jane Addams Resource Center in Chicago sharing his expertise in CAD and PLCs through the “Art-2-Part” program. Art-2-Part teaches students print reading, manual CNC programming, solid modeling in Solidworks, and CAM applications in SolidCAM and is offered to high school students of the Chicago Public School system as a paid apprenticeship.

“As the Solidworks instructor, I began teaching the students the basics of the software in the first semester with a step-by-step lab in which students modeled and assembled a pizza cutter,” explains Holewinski. “The second semester is more challenging as students are asked to design and model their own product in Solidworks that is to be later machined using SolidCAM.”

Battle Aliens, Save the World and Learn Chemistry

Two university professors have combined their knowledge of science and video games to create a game that helps students learn chemistry.

Instead of using books, beakers and test tubes, students battle aliens and other mysterious forces that are trying to destroy the earth by increasing global warming.

"Using gaming technology to supplement science instruction involves a different level of interactivity for students," said Carlos Morales, an associate professor of computer graphics technology at Purdue University in Indiana. More Info.

Kokomo Students Receive Record Amount in Scholarships

Purdue University's College of Technology will award a record $61,000 in scholarships to students studying at the Kokomo location next year.

The 29 students receiving these scholarships will be honored at a banquet on May 24 at the Kelly Center on the Indiana University-Kokomo campus. More Info.

It's Technology Week at Purdue

Purdue's College of Technology devoted a week to highlight important discoveries and to bring awareness to the pervasive impact of technology in everyday life.

Purdue's first Technology Week was celebrated April 9-13 with the theme, "Celebrating innovation. Imagining possibilities."

"In today's world, technology is all around us, and it's hard to imagine a time without computers, cell phones and a wide array of other inventions that have made our lives easier," said College of Technology Dean Dennis R. Depew. "But technology is much more than inventions. It is the application of those innovations and how they affect society and the economy in positive ways. More Info.

Professor Hits Right Note in Guitar Engineering Class

Playing guitar seems much more alluring than building one — unless you're a member of the Instrument Manufacturing and Testing class at Purdue University. The course is the creation of Mark French, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering technology, who introduced it just last year. It is already striking a major chord with students.

Eighteen are enrolled now, which is as many as the professor can handle, and the waiting list for next spring's session is full. French is teaching the class in addition to his normal workload and so far can manage it only once a year.

"Guitars are cool," said French, 43, who is in his third year at the university. "They're something we all know about." More Info.

Purdue Sees Vision for Expanded Presence in Anderson Area

A theme of information sharing and Purdue University's vision for an expanded presence in east central Indiana through programs at the Flagship Education Center, were shared in Anderson on March 13.

At the Flagship Enterprise Center, representatives from Purdue listened to suggestions and concerns from school principals from the local area to have a better understanding specifically of how the College of Technology can support K-12 education in east central Indiana.

Purdue and Anderson University, who formed a partnership in the mid-1980s, are working together to complete the Flagship Education Center, which is scheduled to be operational this fall behind the Flagship Enterprise Center.

Brian Alenskis, associate professor of mechanical engineering technology, explained the goals Purdue has in place for the Anderson region and its extended communities.

"We are looking to enhance the Anderson regional education system and economy through mutually beneficial relationships with current and new stakeholders," Alenskis said, "along with establishing a greater presence in the Anderson area through our residence at the Flagship Education Center." More Info.