grace secures $150k grant from don wood foundation

WINONA LAKE – The Grace College Department of Engineering received a $150,000 grant from the Don Wood Foundation to purchase industrial-grade robotics and update the system controller for its testing frames.

These equipment additions and updates will increase the program’s industry relevance and enhance its partnerships with industry experts, according to a news release from Grace.

The new equipment will be used in classes, labs and projects and will allow the engineering students to run their own tests with equipment that is commonly used on the manufacturing floor.

“Grace College is grateful for the generous support of the Don Wood Foundation as we expand the impact of our engineering program. We look forward to seeing the rippling effects of the new equipment for our students, for elementary and high school students in the community, for local start-up businesses and for industry partners,” said Grace College President Dr. Bill Katip. “With the motto ‘engineered to serve,’ our engineering students and faculty are always looking outward.”

Based in Columbia City, the Don Wood Foundation exists to grow and strengthen the manufacturing sector in the region by bolstering educational opportunities between students, community and industry, the release states.

“We are pleased to be able to support Grace College’s Department of Engineering,” said Laura Macknick, executive director of the Don Wood Foundation. “We applaud their pursuit of industry partnerships outside of campus. The Grace engineering program also has the potential to generate excitement between the intersection of engineering and manufacturing with a younger generation, which strategically aligns with our foundation’s mission.” 

Grace College Chair of the Department of Engineering Dr. Fred Wentorf said, “Few schools are blessed to have the industry interactions that we have at Grace, and this grant is only going to build upon the relationships that we already have. I’m exceedingly grateful to the Don Wood Foundation for investing in our students and partnering in our mission to produce well-rounded graduates who are ready to tackle the complicated world of engineering with confidence, humility, and a heart for service.” 

To learn more about the Grace College Department of Engineering, visit www.grace.edu/academics/undergraduate/academic-schools-departments/sc/department-engineering/.