My success is your success

 

Katie Lawson Remarks
2013 Donor Appreciation Dinner

Putting students first in all we do.  That’s a statement that has been repeated throughout Dr. Bertoline’s two and a half years as dean of our college.

It is the goal he has set for faculty to help us keep as focused on our education as the college is on our future.

How does the college do this, you might ask?

First, by getting students interested in Technology early.  In high school, I was enrolled in Project Lead the Way courses.  These courses gave me insight into how theory can be applied to solve real world issues. They sparked my interest in seeing what else Technology had to offer.  I found out when I attended the Technology Expanding All Minds (better known as TEAM) 5-day summer camp my 9th grade year.  I was able to explore the many ways women in technology can help make a difference through hands-on experiments, local field trips and guided tours of campus. I also had opportunities to socialize with other students who have similar interests and aspirations.

The one-on-one attention didn’t end after camp or when I received my admission letter, however. Instead, student engagement has been at the forefront of my classroom activities.  Technology professors go beyond the textbooks and require us to apply what we learn by immersing us in experiments that allow us to grasp industry concepts.  A good example of this is when my class traveled to the University Materials Management Distribution Center for a project involving purchasing, inventory and warehouse management.  As a group, we had to determine improvements to the facility that would enhance productivity.  My group focused on the carousel -- the circular conveyor on which objects are displayed or rotated. We determined that rewriting the coding behind the retrieval process would aid in the efficiency and ease of obtaining products off the carousel.

Finally, the college is able to put students first because of you, our generous alumni and friends. You provide needed financial support so that I, and many other Technology students, are able to attend college and work in state-of-the-art labs, using equipment and tools we will see at our future places of employment. And you helped me get into the spirit of being a Boilermaker: I’m a member of Purdue’s All-American Marching Band, and I help recruit future Technology students through the Women in Technology organization.  Thank you for all you do!  My success is your success.