Consumers Energy Foundation and MSU celebrate partnership that supports CoRe first-year engineering
A ceremony in Michigan State University's East Wilson Hall on Wednesday, April 25, will serve as a quiet reminder of the state's booming need for more engineering and technical talent.
Officials from Consumers Energy, the Consumers Energy Foundation, and the MSU College of Engineering will gather at noon on the second floor of East Wilson Hall to celebrate the partnership that is turning college experiences, relationships and network access into serious career opportunities.
Engineering Dean Leo Kempel and Consumers' Mary Palkovich, vice president Gas Engineering and Supply, will recognize a $250,000 donation and the rededication of the colorful Consumers-themed lobby that serves students in MSU's CoRe Experience. CoRe Director Timothy Hinds will serve as master of ceremonies.
CoRe is an integrated living-learning community for first-year MSU Engineering students. CoRe immerses new engineering students in activities that range from academic classes, to team building, strengthening interview skills, and fun celebrations. The recently updated lobby features contemporary furnishings, a big screen TV, and charging stations to help CoRe students socialize, study and collaborate as they embark on their college years.
Kempel said Consumers Energy is a partner from the first day a student is a Spartan Engineer all the way through full-time employment.
"We appreciate the vision that Consumers demonstrates and their corporate commitment to the talents and education of our students. With their help, the career opportunities of Spartan Engineering students are boundless."
"Consumers Energy is working to attract the best and the brightest employees to innovate and meet Michigan's future energy needs. That starts with relationships like ours with Michigan State University," said Carolyn Bloodworth, secretary/treasurer of the Consumers Energy Foundation. "We've provided $600,000 to support the CoRe Experience over the last three years because we believe strongly in creating world-class opportunities for students to help us deliver hometown service here in Michigan."
Currently, Consumers has almost 30 Spartan students in internship and co-op positions. These students bring critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as a keen willingness to learn, to their summer jobs.
Among those preparing for an internship this summer is Megan Phanrisvong, a mechanical engineering freshman and member of the Honors College. She will spend her summer in the Lansing area as a customer field solutions intern.
"I'm eager for the opportunity to explore my own major, as well as finding out what Consumers Energy is all about," she said. "My internship will play an important role in helping me figure out what I would like to do in my career and in helping me explore a minor in energy."
Phanrisvong is a member of MSU's Society of Women Engineers and Women in Engineering - Connect. The activities allow her to both have an MSU mentor and serve as a science mentor to a fifth grade girl in an East Lansing elementary school.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the inception of the CoRe Experience at MSU. In 2010, Consumers Energy became the first corporate sponsor of MSU's new Engineering Theme Partnership Program.
Consumers Energy: The Consumers Energy Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility. Consumers Energy provides natural gas and electricity to 6.7 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. For more information, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com
MSU Engineering: The Michigan State University College of Engineering has nine academic departments serving more than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students. For more, go to: www.egr.msu.edu, and for more on CoRe, visit: http://www.egr.msu.edu/core/