Kettering University Hosts WJR Radio for College Tour 2024

Kettering University Hosts WJR Radio for College Tour 2024

Kettering University recently welcomed WJR-AM 760 to campus for the College Tour 2024. Broadcasting live from the Learning Commons Connector for its three-hour-long morning show, the WJR team, including Guy Gordon, Lloyd Jackson, and Jamie Edmonds, engaged with the Kettering community, bringing insightful conversations to the airwaves. The event showcased the University's innovative educational model, 50% rigorous academics paired with 50% paid professional Co-op experience, reinforcing its position as a leader in engineering education.

Kettering alum Sam Hoff '90 (ME), CEO of Patti Engineering, and his son, Sammy Hoff '25 (ME), got the ball rolling in the 6 o'clock hour as they reflected on their Kettering experiences and how the University has evolved. "This is not the easiest school in the world," Sam Hoff said. "It's difficult. You're going to have a compressed schedule. ... It really builds people." The elder Hoff is now a part of that educational process himself. His company is an active participant in the Kettering Co-op program.

Meanwhile, Sammy Hoff shared that although his father attended before him, he is blazing his own trail. "My dad was part of a Greek Life organization, and I'm part of a different Greek Life organization," Sammy said. "So even though he came here before me, I don't feel any need to follow in his footsteps directly. I'm making my own path and my own way around the school."

Kettering University President Dr. Robert K. McMahan shared his insights during the 7 o'clock hour, highlighting the rigorous academics that attract students from across North America and beyond to the University. "The people who created this institution started from a different idea. They said, 'You know, we're not just about teaching stuff. We're about teaching how to master and apply it - and apply it well.' That's what they understood. Charles Kettering was very famous for saying, 'If we taught musicians the way we teach engineers, we give them 12 years of music theory before we ever let them touch a piano.' That's ridiculous on its face, and that's actually how it's done, but not at Kettering. These are hands-on and practical disciplines. So if you want to be an engineer, you need to not only learn the math and the statistics and all the things that go into engineering, but you also need to use it and to see it in application." Dr. McMahan also shared details about upcoming events, including "Discover Kettering" and the "Bulldog for a Day" opportunities in November and December, when prospective students can visit campus, meet faculty and students, and experience a day-in-the-life at Kettering.

Current students Christian "Gordo" Lopez '25 (IE), Ian Gibson '26 (EE), and Katee Callicutt '27 (ME) took to the microphone in the 8 o'clock hour to expand on their unique Co-op experiences. All three students emphasized how Kettering's hands-on learning sets them apart from students at other institutions. "This experience is unlike anything you can get anywhere else," Gibson said. "If you're really driven and you want to be an engineer, you want real-world experience. You want hands-on experience. Kettering is your place, hands down. There's no other place that offers what Kettering does."

Lopez recounted his international Co-op experience in France with Phinia and described how the Kettering experience changes students. "I wouldn't say that you need to be more mature to come to Kettering," Lopez said. "But I think Kettering makes you more mature because coming right out of high school, you're already working, and you're going right into the corporate office. You're learning how to send professional emails. You're learning how to give presentations and attend meetings. So you quickly get over that high school immaturity of being silly and goofy and seeing this is how real life really works." Callicutt drove the point home, saying, "People who come here are very determined. They came here for a reason. They're on a track already, and they are going to make sure that they get where they want to go."

Finally, Kettering's Director of Co-op and Career Design, Enza Sleva, emphasized the University's partnerships with over 400 Co-op employers, explaining how these collaborations ensure that academic programs align with industry needs, giving Kettering students a significant advantage in the workforce. "The companies see this as an amazing investment because they get to nurture talent early in their college career. So, by the time they're through college, they've acclimated to the company culture. They're bringing the technical knowledge that they've learned in the classroom right away back to industry, but at the same time, they are coming with those essential skills, those organizational skills, time management, and communication skills."

To listen to the entire WJR-AM 760 College Tour 2024 stop at Kettering University, click here.