CECS and DENSO – A Decade of Partnerships

In early August, CECS students, faculty, staff and alumni joined in thanking DENSO for it’s decade of support of the College’s Society of Automotive Engineers Baja Team.  For the past ten years, the global manufacturer of automotive parts has provided financial support for the research, development, and construction of Baja vehicles which have competed against engineering schools in regional and national competitions. The presentation of DENSO’s most recent generous gift to the College also provided a CECS reunion opportunity for several former Baja Team members, some of whom are current employees of the manufacturer at its locations in Maryville and Athens, Tennessee.

On September 8th, CECS faculty members Drs. Trevor Elliott and Chuck Margraves accompanied CECS Mechanical and Electrical Engineering majors to DENSO’s facility in Maryville for DENSO Day.  That annual event provides an occasion for DENSO to showcase its products, facilities, and employment opportunities to students in engineering schools across our region.

Both of these events evidence DENSO’s strong commitment to the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and its effective recruitment of CECS’ outstanding students.  In commenting on the partnership with DENSO, Dean Daniel Pack said, “ As the College moves forward in meeting the workforce demands and applied research opportunities of our region and nation, support from DENSO and other corporate partners is vital to our success. Through its ten years supporting student competitions and research, and the company’s commitment to hiring our graduates, DENSO’s partnership is of immeasurable benefit to CECS’s students, faculty, and alumni.”