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Debra Hollingsworth,
AT&T-Missouri vice president of external affairs, drove
the Mizzou Formula Car during Engineers’ Week. Rob
Hill photo
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When
Mizzou Teams up With Corporations, Students Reap
the Benefits
Engineers’
Week got off to a roaring start in March thanks to help from
AT&T-Missouri
Vice President of External Affairs Debra Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth
drove the MU
Formula Car through Lafferre Hall to where a crowd of more
than 100 people greeted her. Each year the Formula Car Team designs
and builds an Indy-style car and competes in various events around
the world.
“It was a wonderful experience to be
in a vehicle built with MU technology and student experience,”
Hollingsworth said. “I especially enjoyed seeing the students
get it ready to drive and know I was riding in a mobile classroom,
a science experiment. It was great being a race car driver like
Danica Patrick for a day!”
AT&T-Missouri is involved in education
in the state from pre-kindergarten through higher education. They
donated $1 million to the College of Engineering in August 2004
to launch a comprehensive degree program in information technology.
The new IT degree program is now in place for students interested
in digital media, networks and wireless technology, information
systems, and the business of computer systems administration,
maintenance and security.
“At the new AT&T, we regard the
expansion of technology education as a vital link toward economic
development,” Hollingsworth said. “Technological innovation
accounts for 50 percent of Missouri’s economic growth, according
to Stanford University economist Michael Boskin.”
One of race car driver
Danica Patrick’s goals was to win the Indy 500, but
Hollingsworth said with a smile during her comments at the
College of Engineering that her goal was “just to
be able to get out of MU’s formula car.” Rob
Hill photo
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This donation from AT&T is a result of
a growing emphasis on corporate relationships at MU and higher
education institutions across the country.
“Corporate relationships are very similar
to personal relationships,” Chris Kelly, director of development
for MU’s Office
of Corporate Relations, said. “We work with deans, development
staff and corporate representatives to find the best option that
will benefit both the corporation and the University. We are matchmakers,
and with the AT&T gift, we made a great match.”
University partnerships with corporations
provide a win-win situation. Some MU examples include:
- Edward
Jones provides annual scholarships to Mizzou students and
also offers internships to scholarship recipients. These internships
give students a chance to gain real-world experience while grooming
them as potential Edward Jones employees after graduation.
- Ameren
Corp. donates money to MU for the training of future employees,
to keep philanthropic dollars in the state and to support the
local economy.
- Monsanto
Co. gave $1.9 million toward laboratory equipment for the
Christopher s. Bond
Life Sciences Center and has also been a major contributor
to equipment purchases in the Charles
W. Gehrke Proteomics Center. This equipment is used to train
future scientists.
“MU is developing quality candidates
for our future workforce,” Hollingsworth said. “We
look forward to working with our MU partners to raise the bar
for math, engineering, technology and science. These areas truly
are the economic future for all Missourians.”
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Last Update:
March 12, 2007
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