President

��ɫ�� Names Alumnus Qasar Younis, Co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, as 2026 Commencement Speaker

lmadaus — Mon, 18 May 2026 13:40:24 +0000

��ɫ�� Names Alumnus Qasar Younis, Co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, as 2026 Commencement Speaker

Alumni

Campus Events

Commencement

President

“��ɫ�� played a significant role in building the foundation that guides my professional life to this day.“

Alumnus Qasar Younis
Co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition

lmadaus Mon, 05/18/2026 - 09:40

��ɫ�� will award alumnus Qasar Younis ’04, co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree (Dr.Eng. h.c.), when he addresses the Class of 2026 at Commencement on June 20, 2026.

Younis leads one of the most closely watched companies in AI. Applied Intuition takes intelligence and puts it in physical machines and has become one of the world leaders in the category of “physical AI.”

The company’s work now spans automotive, defense, trucking, mining, construction and agriculture. A recent Forbes feature highlighted both its technical depth and ambitious scope, describing Younis as an “execution machine” who’s helping shape the future of intelligent systems.

“Qasar’s career is the ��ɫ�� model in compressed form,” said Robert K. McMahan, President of ��ɫ��. “He started in engineering and manufacturing production while a student and now leads a company building the digital infrastructure for intelligent machines across many industries around the globe. The arc is not coincidence. It is what happens when rigorous engineering education is built around real professional responsibility from the first year forward.”

Younis began his career in the same environment that has shaped generations of ��ɫ�� graduates. As a student, he split his time between the classroom and industry, taking on engineering responsibilities while working across General Motors tech centers and factories through ��ɫ��’s cooperative education model, which places students in paid, professional industry rotations every twelve weeks from their first year through graduation.

Before founding Applied Intuition, Younis founded TalkBin, a messaging platform acquired by Google Maps, where he became one of the product and engineering leads. He subsequently served as a Partner and Chief Operating Officer of Y Combinator—the preeminent accelerator in Silicon Valley, which spawned OpenAI, Cruise, DoorDash, Twitch, Reddit, Coinbase and others—where he guided high-growth startups through critical stages of development.

He co-founded Applied Intuition to address a core challenge of intelligent machines: how to safely design, test and validate complex autonomous systems through simulation before they are deployed in the real world. The company’s platform is now used by dozens of top manufacturers around the globe and the United States Department of Defense.

His return resonates beyond any single industry. ��ɫ��’s graduates are entering an economy in which the boundaries between mechanical, electrical and software engineering are dissolving, and in which physical systems across nearly every sector are being rebuilt around intelligence and autonomy.

“��ɫ�� played a significant role in building the foundation that guides my professional life to this day,” said Younis. “It taught me how to solve hard, real-world problems and approach complex challenges with confidence and curiosity. I’m honored to return to Flint to speak to its next class of leaders and engineers, who are entering one of the most transformative and exciting moments in industrial and technological history.”

As artificial intelligence reshapes industries and redefines the nature of engineering work, Younis has emerged as a leading voice on how intelligent systems can be deployed safely and at scale in the real world.

“The graduates Qasar will address are entering an economy that is being rebuilt around physical AI and autonomous systems: in vehicles, in defense, in industrial operations, in agriculture,” McMahan said. “That is the field he helped define. There is no one better positioned to speak to what this class is walking into.”

The 2026 Commencement will honor graduates with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering, computer science and management.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Governor Whitmer Reappoints Dr. Robert K. McMahan, ��ɫ�� President, to MEDC Executive Committee

lmadaus — Mon, 11 May 2026 17:22:40 +0000

Governor Whitmer Reappoints Dr. Robert K. McMahan, ��ɫ�� President, to MEDC Executive Committee

President

MEDC

lmadaus Mon, 05/11/2026 - 13:22

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has reappointed Dr. Robert K. McMahan, ��ɫ�� President, to the Executive Committee of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), extending his service on a leading economic leadership body shaping Michigan’s economic future through 2030.

The MEDC Executive Committee guides statewide strategy on business growth, talent development, innovation, and long-term competitiveness.

McMahan’s reappointment reflects a leadership background that extends beyond higher education into science, technology, industry, venture capital, and public policy. Prior to becoming president of ��ɫ��, he served as Senior Advisor to the Governor of North Carolina for Science and Technology, where he helped lead statewide technology-based economic development initiatives and served as principal liaison to the University of North Carolina and Community College systems.

His broader career includes executive leadership in global research and development, startup growth, investment strategy, and innovation policy.

“Talent development and economic development are not separate problems. They are the same problem,” said Dr. McMahan. “Companies decide where to locate and grow based on talent, infrastructure, and the quality of the place itself. The MEDC exists in part to strengthen all three, and that work is consequential. I am honored to continue contributing to it.”

As Michigan competes for growth in advanced mobility, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, sustainability, and next-generation technologies, institutions that connect education to real-world opportunity are more consequential than ever. ��ɫ��’s century-long partnership with industry has positioned the university at the center of that mission.

From its home in Flint, ��ɫ�� has emerged as a nationally recognized model for combining rigorous academics with paid professional experience through its distinctive cooperative education program.

Since becoming president in 2011, Dr. Robert K. McMahan has led a period of significant momentum for the university, including more than $250 million in fundraising, expanded national recognition for career preparation outcomes, continued investment in academic programs aligned with the industries shaping the future, and strong partnership with statewide talent initiatives such as the MEDC’s Michigander Scholars program, which helps connect high-achieving students with in-demand careers and encourages top talent to build their futures in Michigan.

McMahan’s new term began April 6, 2026, and runs through April 5, 2030.

��ɫ�� Ranked No. 1 Undergraduate Institution in America for Second Consecutive Year in Launchpad Rankings

lmadaus — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:02:23 +0000

��ɫ�� Ranked No. 1 Undergraduate Institution in America for Second Consecutive Year in Launchpad Rankings

Admissions

President

lmadaus Thu, 04/30/2026 - 14:02

��ɫ�� has once again been recognized as the nation’s top-ranked institution, earning the No. 1 overall position in the Diamond category of the 2026 Launchpad Rankings for the second consecutive year.

The recognition places ��ɫ�� at the top of a national evaluation focused on outcomes that matter to students, families, and employers alike: career readiness, experiential learning, retention, academic focus, and long-term opportunity.

For ��ɫ��, the distinction affirms a model intentionally built to produce results.

“This recognition reflects what the data have shown for years,” said Dr. Robert K. McMahan, President of ��ɫ��. “Every dimension of this university is organized around a single objective: producing graduates prepared to contribute from day one.”

��ɫ��’s nationally distinctive educational model combines rigorous academics with paid cooperative employment. Every undergraduate student alternates between 12 weeks of academic study and 12 weeks of professional work experience in their field, earning on average $55,000-75,000 or more, graduating with as much as 2.5 years of relevant experience prior to commencement.

That structure continues to distinguish ��ɫ�� at a time when students and families are increasingly focused on value, readiness, and long-term return on their educational investment.

“At many institutions, work experience is peripheral to the degree,” McMahan said. “At ��ɫ��, it is embedded in the architecture of the education itself. It is not an add-on. It is central to the development of competence, confidence, and professional readiness.”

Launchpad also ranked ��ɫ�� No. 1 nationally in experiential learning, recognizing the University’s longstanding partnerships with more than 600 employers across the United States and beyond.

Those partnerships span engineering, advanced mobility, intelligent manufacturing, artificial intelligence, business, data science, sustainability, aerospace and defense, and chemicals and materials science, giving students direct access to industries shaping the future.

The result is a graduate who enters the marketplace not as a novice, but as an experienced contributor.

“��ɫ�� students begin building their professional capabilities while they are enrolled,” said Dr. Robert K. McMahan. “That is the strength of an educational model built on mastery through education and experience, where learning is not episodic, but continuous and cumulative. Over multiple cycles of academic study and professional application, students develop not only technical competence, but the judgment and adaptability required to perform and lead in complex, real-world environments.”

The recognition comes amid continued momentum for the University, including growth in strategic academic areas such as semiconductor innovation, autonomous systems, applied AI, intelligent manufacturing, and new energy technologies. It also builds on sustained national recognition for career preparation and long-term return on investment, with top rankings from The Wall Street Journal and outcome-based analyses from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce highlighting the strength of ��ɫ�� graduates in the marketplace.

For students seeking more than a conventional college experience—and for families seeking confidence that higher education will lead to meaningful opportunity—��ɫ�� continues to offer one of the most direct and effective pathways to professional success in American higher education.

Mitsubishi Electric Case Study Highlights ��ɫ��’s Growing Momentum in Industry Automation

lmadaus — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:42:52 +0000

Mitsubishi Electric Case Study Highlights ��ɫ��’s Growing Momentum in Industry Automation

Co-op

President

Research

lmadaus Thu, 04/09/2026 - 13:42

��ɫ��’s collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric Automation and Patti Engineering is gaining national attention, with a new case study highlighting the impact already visible in student outcomes and industry engagement.

That approach has been taking shape inside ��ɫ��’s advanced robotic automation cell for several years. Last year, senior Scotty Grunwald ’26 worked directly with Mitsubishi PLCs, robotics, and HMIs as part of a fully integrated system.

“This was my first real attempt at a full automation system,” Grunwald said. “It was a lot harder than it looks on paper, but that’s what made it so valuable.”

His experience reflects the kind of system-level learning now highlighted in Mitsubishi Electric’s case study.

The case study frames the collaboration simply: bridging the skills gap in modern manufacturing through a smart, programmable, and flexible manufacturing cell that gives students real-world automation experience before entering the workforce.

Developed in partnership with Mitsubishi Electric Automation and Patti Engineering, the robotic cell integrates robotics, PLCs, machine vision, and system-level controls into a fully programmable platform. Students are not completing static lab exercises—they are programming, troubleshooting, and iterating on a complete system that mirrors the complexity of modern production environments.

For students like Grunwald, that experience translates directly to the job market. Direct familiarity with Mitsubishi PLCs, robotics, and HMIs provides exposure rarely available at the undergraduate level—and a clear point of differentiation when entering industry.

The case study reinforces a broader point: addressing the skills gap in advanced manufacturing requires more than access to equipment. It requires systems that evolve, challenge students to think independently, and connect theory directly to application.

That perspective is now extending beyond campus through industry conversations tied to IMTS, where the collaboration is positioned within broader discussions around workforce development, automation adoption, and the future of smart manufacturing.

Together, these elements—student experience, industry validation, and national visibility—point to a single outcome: a model that reflects current industry expectations and prepares students to contribute from day one.

Click here to read the full Mitsubishi Electric Automation case study.

��ɫ�� Featured in National Commentary on the Future of Career-Connected Learning

lmadaus — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 19:38:23 +0000

��ɫ�� Featured in National Commentary on the Future of Career-Connected Learning

President

lmadaus Thu, 03/19/2026 - 15:38

At a time when higher education is being asked to demonstrate both relevance and results, ��ɫ�� reflects a model aligned with the needs of modern industry, particularly in sectors driving economic growth across Michigan and beyond, including mobility, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies.

��ɫ�� is the focus of a recent Inside Higher Ed column by Rachel Toor, contributing editor, examining how institutions are approaching career readiness and experiential learning.

Toor’s column identifies ��ɫ�� as a structural exception in higher education: while many institutions layer internships or experiential components onto traditional academic models, ��ɫ��'s model was founded on integrating classroom learning and professional practice.

Much of higher education continues to approach career-connected learning in fragmented ways, often dependent on individual programs, faculty initiatives, or limited partnerships. ��ɫ�� operates differently: integration is not supplemental, but foundational.

At the center of that model are 12-week rotations between academic study and full-time, paid Co-op employment. Students move continuously between these environments, contributing to organizations while returning to the classroom with direct, applied experience. This is not a single internship or late-stage exposure; it is a continuous cycle sustained from the first year through graduation.

This structure changes both the student experience and the faculty role. Students are not encountering professional environments late in their academic careers; they are developing within them from the outset. Faculty, in turn, teach students who regularly test theory against real-world conditions, shaping a more applied and responsive academic environment grounded in the real insights students bring back to the classroom every term.

The scale and consistency of ��ɫ��’s employer partnerships are a defining factor. Maintaining relationships with hundreds of organizations and aligning curriculum, calendar, and expectations accordingly is an operational system most institutions are not structured to support.

While measurable outcomes such as employment rates, starting salaries, and student earnings are part of the model, the greater impact is developmental. Graduates build professional judgment, adaptability, and decision-making capacity through sustained, real-world experience. They do not enter the workforce to learn how to contribute. They have already been doing it for years.

The significance of the feature is not in positioning ��ɫ�� simply as different, but in what that difference represents. As workforce expectations shift and demand immediate contribution from graduates, the challenge is no longer whether to incorporate experiential learning, but whether institutions can meaningfully organize around it.

��ɫ�� is a long-standing model built around that premise. For more than a century, it has operated at the intersection of education and industry, demonstrating how academic and professional development can function as a single, integrated system.

The question facing higher education is no longer whether career-connected learning matters, but whether institutions are prepared to organize themselves around it. At ��ɫ��, that structure has been in place for more than a century, and its relevance continues to accelerate as workforce expectations evolve.

Dr. McMahan on Future U Podcast: Why Don’t More Colleges Run Co-Op Programs?

lmadaus — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 14:40:58 +0000

Dr. McMahan on Future U Podcast: Why Don’t More Colleges Run Co-Op Programs?

Co-op

President

lmadaus Mon, 01/12/2026 - 09:40

As Co-op programs gain momentum nationwide, colleges and universities are under growing pressure to show that work-based learning can scale, deliver outcomes, and align with workforce needs. Yet for many institutions, cultural resistance and rigid academic structures continue to limit how deeply Co-op is embedded.

That challenge was the focus of a recent Future U podcast conversation, where ��ɫ�� President Dr. Robert K. McMahan joined hosts Michael Horn and Jeff Selingo to discuss why Co-op works best when it is not treated as an add-on, but as a core institutional design and why more colleges struggle to make that shift.

Throughout the conversation, Dr. McMahan emphasized that experiential learning delivers its greatest value when it is fully integrated into the educational model.

“The real magic of the model is in its integration into the education.”

While many universities offer internships or optional Co-op experiences, fewer than half of U.S. undergraduates complete one before graduating, according to Forbes.

At ��ɫ��, that focus on how students learn is reflected in the institution’s structure. All undergraduate students participate in mandatory, paid Co-op experiences, beginning in their first year, which alternate between academic terms and professional placements. By graduation, ��ɫ�� students complete approximately two and a half years of paid, full-time professional experience as part of their degree requirements.

Reframing Who Higher Education Serves

At the center of this episode of Future U, and a broader debate across higher education, is a deceptively simple question: who is the “customer” of a university?

Dr. McMahan approaches the question from an operational perspective:

“From a strictly kind of operations business perspective, universities don’t like to think of themselves as businesses. In fact, they reject that characterization. But indeed, they are. They’re economic participants. And we play a very real role in establishing the trajectory of our students and the economic viability of those students in their careers.”

Within that framework, he describes how educational value is ultimately validated after graduation:

“In that sense, the student really is very much the product of the university, and the customers are the graduate schools or the organizations downline from that that hire, or that accept our students and establish the value of what we are doing and the value of their experience here.”

At ��ɫ��, this alignment is reinforced at the start of every academic cycle. Students return from Co-op placements with direct insight into which skills matter most, which concepts translate into practice, and where their preparation can be strengthened.

The result is a student body that engages coursework differently, asking whether ideas work in practice as well as in theory, an approach reflected in ��ɫ��’s national recognition for career preparation and post-graduation outcomes.

Why Co-Op Is Hard to Scale and Why It Still Matters

Another question posed during the episode was why more colleges have not adopted Co-op as a core requirement.

According to Dr. McMahan, the barriers are structural in nature. Successful Co-op programs require long-term employer partnerships, curricular flexibility, and a willingness to let professional experience shape academic decision-making, conditions many universities were not originally designed to support:

“Employers are operating in a different economy than higher ed was designed to serve. Our students are living in a different reality, and the country faces a different set of challenges. So we are increasingly faced with an educational structure that’s kind of discordant with the world around it.”

That misalignment, he argues, does not mean the model itself is unworkable. Rather, it highlights the degree of institutional change necessary to make the Co-op function effectively:

“It is a scalable model. It is ultimately a model that can be adopted, but it requires institutions to say we perhaps need to organize and think about what we do differently than we do today.”

The Future U conversation reframes these challenges facing higher education. The issue is no longer whether experiential learning works, but whether institutions are willing to evolve their structures to support it at scale.

In that context, ��ɫ��’s model stands not as an exception to be replicated, but as evidence of what sustained, industry-embedded education can achieve when institutional design remains aligned with real-world outcomes.

To explore the full conversation, listen to the episode here.

��ɫ�� Joins Statewide Consortium to Strengthen National Security Research

lmadaus — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:15:02 +0000

��ɫ�� Joins Statewide Consortium to Strengthen National Security Research

Computer Science

President

Research

lmadaus Mon, 10/20/2025 - 11:15

��ɫ�� has partnered with Michigan’s leading universities to launch an initiative aimed at advancing U.S. national security through cutting-edge research, technology development, and workforce training.

This Consortium, ratified under an agreement with state and federal partners, will deliver mission-essential research in autonomy, energy resilience, advanced manufacturing, cyber-secure operations, and warfighter performance. In addition to research, it will serve as a pipeline of technical talent for the federal workforce—preparing students and faculty to address the nation’s most pressing defense challenges.

“This Consortium is a bold step toward positioning Michigan universities for University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) designation,” said John T. Gutierrez, Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), Executive Director of the Office of Defense & Aerospace Innovation at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “UARC status would bring stable, long-term federal investment, expanded research opportunities, and high-paying technical jobs to the state.”

By aligning Michigan universities around a shared mission, the Consortium establishes the collaborative foundation necessary to pursue UARC designation, positioning the state among a select group of institutions nationally recognized by the Department of Defense for sensitive, high-priority research.

At ��ɫ��, that work is already underway. The university brings one of the nation’s strongest employer networks to the Consortium, with more than 570 Co-op partners worldwide, including aerospace and defense leaders such as General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon.

“��ɫ��’s model uniquely prepares students to contribute to national security research by immersing them in both rigorous academic study and extended, hands-on professional experience,” said Dr. Scott Grasman, Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Unlike traditional programs where experiential learning is often limited to short-term internships, ��ɫ�� students spend nearly half of their undergraduate career embedded in industry settings. This model produces graduates who are not only technically proficient but also adept at problem-solving in complex, high-stakes environments, skills directly transferable to the demands of national security research.”

That pipeline is reinforced through the Michigander Scholars program, a statewide MEDC initiative in which ��ɫ�� plays a leading role. With its largest cohort to date, the program not only incentivizes graduates to remain in Michigan but also now includes Aerospace and Defense companies as partners, providing direct pathways into sectors aligned with the Consortium’s mission. To date, more than 150 ��ɫ�� students and alumni have been named Scholars, strengthening both Michigan’s defense economy and the nation’s security workforce.

“Retaining Michigan-trained engineering talent in the state is critical for both the Consortium and national security because it ensures that the investments made in education, training, and applied research continue to strengthen local innovation ecosystems,” said Grasman. “Michigan is already a hub for mobility, manufacturing, energy technologies, and defense industry partnerships; keeping highly skilled graduates in the region amplifies this advantage by building a concentrated talent base with specialized expertise.”

Together, these connections, academic rigor, industry collaboration, and state-backed workforce development position ��ɫ�� to expand defense-related research opportunities, accelerate the transition of innovations from lab to field, and prepare the next generation of engineers and scientists to serve the nation’s most pressing security needs.

To learn more about the Consortium, visit cmurc.com/cens.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Computer Engineering

Computer Science

��ɫ�� Joins Michigan Colleges Alliance, Strengthening Workforce Development

lmadaus — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 15:38:27 +0000

��ɫ�� Joins Michigan Colleges Alliance, Strengthening Workforce Development

Admissions

President

lmadaus Mon, 10/06/2025 - 11:38

��ɫ�� has been welcomed as the newest member of the Michigan Colleges Alliance (MCA), a consortium of independent colleges and universities committed to producing graduates who drive Michigan’s economy forward. This milestone is especially notable: ��ɫ�� is the second institution to be admitted to MCA in the past 50 years, and the first member to be admitted in over 15 years.

The MCA is recognized for achieving some of the strongest student outcomes in the state, through initiatives such as the Kalamazoo Promise, high graduation rates and exceptional talent retention within Michigan. With ��ɫ��’s nationally renowned Co-op education program and industry partnerships, this membership reinforces the Alliance’s position as a powerful engine for workforce and economic development.

“At ��ɫ��, our students do not merely graduate with a degree—they graduate with years of professional, industry-immersive experience, real-world problem-solving skills and demonstrated leadership,” said Dr. Robert K. McMahan, President of ��ɫ��. “Joining the Michigan Colleges Alliance affirms our shared commitment to innovation in education and to measurable student success. The Alliance’s work, from expanding access through the Kalamazoo Promise to pioneering scholarship initiatives such as the Bearcat Advantage, resonates with our mission to prepare students for lives of extraordinary leadership and service. Together, we will enhance educational opportunity across the state and advance Michigan’s leadership in technology, talent development and economic growth.”

Driving Workforce Readiness and Economic Impact

The Michigan Colleges Alliance facilitates programs that directly connect students with career opportunities and skill development. For example, the Cooperative Learning Collaborative (CLC) is a multi-disciplinary student cooperative education program that unites MCA institutions, signature employers, non-profit organizations, faculty and students to promote career readiness. Through a scaffolded approach over two academic sessions, students gain real-world work experience, leadership development and professional mentoring, while participating employers benefit from early access to top talent and faculty-guided projects that support their organizational needs.

“��ɫ�� is an ideal complement to our network,” Dr. Robert Bartlett, MCA President, added. “Its national leadership in post-graduate success is legendary. ��ɫ�� will strengthen immeasurably MCA’s work over many years in this space. I can think of no better partner institution to have in our group, as MCA members continue to innovate in producing career-ready college graduates for our state and beyond.”

Another key initiative, the Center for Advancing Student Outcomes (CASO), serves as an innovation incubator for out-of-classroom career learning. Launched in 2017, CASO has earned broad campus support as it spurs new programs to enhance student achievement. Programs launched with CASO’s support include a digital badging pilot in critical thinking, a Google Course Share Pilot connecting classrooms across multiple campuses and a collaboration with Harvard Business School Online to broaden business education opportunities. These collaborative initiatives reflect the Alliance’s commitment to educational innovation and high-impact student experiences that prepare graduates for success.

The Mackinac Roundtable on Talent, now in its 14th year, is a nationally acclaimed annual gathering hosted by MCA that brings together higher education leaders and employer executives in a talent development partnership. This unique gathering fosters cross-sector dialogue and collaboration in preparing today’s college students for successful career outcomes. More than 100 college and university presidents, as well as numerous C-Suite business leaders from over 35 states and Canada, regularly participate. The event takes place each summer at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

Collectively, MCA institutions represent a significant Michigan college student population and are distinguished by:

High ROI outcomes: Students at MCA member schools graduate faster and more consistently than peers at other institutions, supported by four-year graduation rates that lead the state. They also achieve strong early-career earnings and long-term career growth, reflecting the value of an MCA education.
Career readiness: Graduates are among the most employable in the region, benefiting from programs that emphasize real-world application and professional preparation (for example, mandatory Co-op terms and industry-sponsored projects).
Workforce retention: Many MCA graduates remain in Michigan after graduation, fueling local industries and communities statewide. This retention of talent helps ensure that Michigan’s investment in education returns dividends to the state’s economy.

��ɫ�� enhances these collective strengths with its hallmark 50/50 Co-op education model, which requires every undergraduate to alternate between rigorous academic coursework and full-time employment in their field. This approach ensures that ��ɫ�� graduates enter the workforce not only with deep academic knowledge but also with substantial professional experience, a combination that accelerates careers from day one. By integrating this proven model with MCA’s network, ��ɫ�� will help broaden experiential learning opportunities for students across Michigan.

A Commitment to Michigan’s Future

Through this partnership, ��ɫ�� will collaborate with MCA to:

Expand talent pipelines in high-demand industries, including advanced manufacturing, automotive and mobility technology, health sciences and business, by connecting skilled students and graduates with leading employers in these sectors.
Elevate Michigan’s competitive advantage by graduating leaders who are both technically skilled and strategically minded, ready to drive innovation and growth in the state’s economy.
Strengthen community and economic vitality by increasing the number of graduates who remain in-state after graduation, applying their expertise locally and contributing to Michigan’s ongoing development and quality of life.

“We are excited to partner with the Michigan Colleges Alliance to open new pathways for students across Michigan,” said Matt Fortescue, Director of Enrollment at ��ɫ��. “As one of the state’s top private universities, ��ɫ�� delivers a powerful education that combines personal attention with nationally recognized outcomes. Our Co-op model aligns perfectly with MCA’s programming. With strong Co-op partnerships across Michigan, nationally and internationally, this collaboration expands access, supports affordability and connects students to top career opportunities.”

About Michigan Colleges Alliance: Michigan Colleges Alliance is a collective of nine leading independent colleges and universities located throughout the state. Established in 1949, MCA focuses on broadening college access and choice, enhancing affordability through scholarships, and connecting students to fulfilling careers via statewide corporate partnerships. The vast majority of students attending MCA member institutions are from Michigan and typically remain in the state after graduation. By uniting the strengths of its member schools, MCA serves as a powerful engine for talent development, workforce readiness, and economic vitality across the state.

��ɫ�� President Featured on Getting In: A College Coach Conversation Podcast

lmadaus — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 17:25:07 +0000

��ɫ�� President Featured on Getting In: A College Coach Conversation Podcast

Faculty & Staff

President

lmadaus Wed, 08/27/2025 - 13:25

��ɫ�� President Dr. Robert K. McMahan recently joined the national podcast Getting In: A College Coach Conversation to discuss ��ɫ��’s distinctive educational model and the return on investment it delivers for students and families.

In the episode, Dr. McMahan outlined how ��ɫ��’s 50/50 blend of rigorous academics and two and a half years of paid Co-op experience prepares graduates to thrive in high-demand industries. He also shared insights into how artificial intelligence is driving radical transformations across sectors and emphasized ��ɫ��’s role in helping students “future-proof” their careers.

The conversation positioned ��ɫ�� as a leader in engineering, computer science, and business education—continuing its legacy from its beginnings as General Motors Institute—while underscoring the University’s reputation for student innovation and career readiness.

Listen to the full episode here: President of ��ɫ�� on Getting Organized

��ɫ�� Announces Faculty Promotions and Tenure Appointments

lmadaus — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 17:15:38 +0000

��ɫ�� Announces Faculty Promotions and Tenure Appointments

Faculty & Staff

President

lmadaus Tue, 08/12/2025 - 13:15

��ɫ�� is proud to announce the promotion and tenure appointments of four esteemed faculty members in recognition of their exceptional teaching, research, and impact on student learning.

Allan R. Taylor, Ph.D.

Promoted to Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering with Tenure
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
College of Engineering and Computer Science

Dr. Allan Taylor, a two-time ��ɫ�� graduate (B.S. ’09, M.S. ’11, Electrical Engineering), has been promoted to Associate Professor with tenure. He joined ��ɫ��’s faculty in 2014, following roles as a lecturer and research engineer. His research focuses on renewable energy systems, battery management, and electric vehicles. Last year, he spearheaded a partnership with OpenRoad, a pioneer in manufacturing portable range boosters for electric vehicles, and collaborated with ��ɫ�� students to advance EV technology. He is also the founder of ART’s Electronics & Engineering, LLC, and is known for delivering hands-on instruction in power electronics and circuit design.

Diane L. Peters, Ph.D., P.E.

Promoted to Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering
College of Engineering and Computer Science

Dr. Diane Peters has been promoted to Professor of Mechanical Engineering. A ��ɫ�� faculty member since 2013, she is recognized nationally for her excellence in teaching and student mentorship. Earlier this year, she received the ASEE National Outstanding Teaching Award, and, in 2024, she was awarded the SWE Distinguished Engineering Educator Award. She also earned ��ɫ��’s Outstanding Researcher Award and helped secure two major NSF grants supporting undergraduate research and industry collaboration. Outside of the classroom, Peters also serves as faculty advisor to the AutoDrive team.

Giuseppe Turini, Ph.D.

Promoted to Professor of Computer Science
Department of Computer Science
College of Engineering and Computer Science

Dr. Giuseppe Turini has been promoted to Professor of Computer Science. Since joining ��ɫ�� in 2012, he has led research in computer graphics, virtual and augmented reality, simulation, and intelligent systems. Originally trained in Italy, his work bridges technical depth and visual computing, with applications ranging from surgical simulation to interactive learning environments. Turini is known for translating cutting-edge computing trends into hands-on classroom experiences, preparing students for careers in AI, cybersecurity, immersive tech, and beyond.

Terence J. Pitre, Ph.D.

Appointed Professor of Accounting with Tenure
Dean, School of Management

Dr. Terence Pitre, Dean of the School of Management, has been appointed Professor with tenure. He brings more than 20 years of academic leadership, most recently serving as Dean of Business at Cal State Stanislaus. A Navy veteran, Pitre has held roles at Bowling Green State, Miami University, and others. His vision centers on experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and preparing students to lead in today’s dynamic economy.

These promotions reflect ��ɫ��’s continued investment in faculty achievement and the advancement of scholarship, teaching, and research aligned with the University's mission to educate future leaders in engineering, science, and management.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

School of Foundational Studies

School of Management

President

��ɫ���� Names Alumnus Qasar Younis, Co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, as 2026 Commencement Speaker

Governor Whitmer Reappoints Dr. Robert K. McMahan, ��ɫ���� President, to MEDC Executive Committee

��ɫ���� Ranked No. 1 Undergraduate Institution in America for Second Consecutive Year in Launchpad Rankings

Mitsubishi Electric Case Study Highlights ��ɫ����’s Growing Momentum in Industry Automation

��ɫ���� Featured in National Commentary on the Future of Career-Connected Learning

Dr. McMahan on Future U Podcast: Why Don’t More Colleges Run Co-Op Programs?

��ɫ���� Joins Statewide Consortium to Strengthen National Security Research

��ɫ���� Joins Michigan Colleges Alliance, Strengthening Workforce Development

��ɫ���� President Featured on Getting In: A College Coach Conversation Podcast

��ɫ���� Announces Faculty Promotions and Tenure Appointments

��ɫ�� Names Alumnus Qasar Younis, Co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, as 2026 Commencement Speaker

Governor Whitmer Reappoints Dr. Robert K. McMahan, ��ɫ�� President, to MEDC Executive Committee

��ɫ�� Ranked No. 1 Undergraduate Institution in America for Second Consecutive Year in Launchpad Rankings

Mitsubishi Electric Case Study Highlights ��ɫ��’s Growing Momentum in Industry Automation

��ɫ�� Featured in National Commentary on the Future of Career-Connected Learning

��ɫ�� Joins Statewide Consortium to Strengthen National Security Research

��ɫ�� Joins Michigan Colleges Alliance, Strengthening Workforce Development

��ɫ�� President Featured on Getting In: A College Coach Conversation Podcast

��ɫ�� Announces Faculty Promotions and Tenure Appointments