It's all about partnership.

The fall issue of Impact describes everything from student and alumni events to new curricula, programs and research.  Across those rich and diverse activities of the College, there is a consistent theme of partnership. 

• Mechanical Engineering faculty partnered with teachers at U of D Jesuit High School to provide a class in Computer Aided Design (CAD) for their students.
• The Engineering faculty partnered with faculty from UDM's School of Law to create an innovative route from high school to a career in intellectual property law.
• The College is working with industry experts from SKF and other companies to create a new Lean Six Sigma certification program.
• The College partnered with Ford Motor Company to offer the second Ford Innovation Symposium.
• The Engineering faculty partnered with faculty in the College of Business Administration to secure a new grant to complete the development of a minor in entrepreneurship.

Like many industries, success in academia is all about partnership.

Initiatives like these, and others described in this issue, have led to great success for the College and our students.  For example, in the past five years the number of incoming full-time undergraduates (freshmen and transfer students) in Science has nearly tripled (from 69 to 191). 

While this rapid growth stresses all of our human, equipment and facility resources, it's the kind of challenge that we want.  We are adding faculty members in Biology and Chemistry, and have developed plans to renovate the Chemistry Building.

Of course, the outcomes that are most important are those of our graduates.  We are extremely proud that on graduation day 2007, 100 percent of our Engineering graduates either had a position in their field or were admitted to the graduate program of their choice.  Quite literally, you can't beat that!

All of us in the College look forward to continuing partnerships with our academic, corporate, government and alumni partners, leading to the next and even greater round of successes.

Dr. Leo E. Hanifin '69, '72, '75
Dean, College of Engineering & Science