DAVENPORT — The John Deere Foundation has awarded St. Ambrose University a $500,000 grant to support the university’s bachelor’s degree programs in Industrial Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.
The half-million-dollar grant will be used to purchase and upgrade equipment, creating substantial enhancements to the learning environment for current and future engineering students.
“St. Ambrose University and John Deere have had a long and fruitful partnership, and more than 700 St. Ambrose alumni are employed with John Deere worldwide,” said Sister Joan Lescinski, CSJ, president of St. Ambrose. “The university is deeply grateful to the John Deere Foundation for its generous support of our efforts to provide a well-trained workforce with excellent career opportunities.”
“At the John Deere Foundation, we believe that education is critical for success in work and life,” said Mara Sovey, president, John Deere Foundation. “We partner with colleges and universities around the world to equip students to be tomorrow’s leaders. We believe it is important for St. Ambrose University to attract and educate young people who will become significant contributors in the Quad Cities and around the world.”
Enhancements to St. Ambrose’s engineering studies will build upon existing program strengths:
• In 2012, St. Ambrose was one of 85 schools nationwide awarded a five-year, $600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. The Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) grant is geared to prepare more engineers for their careers.
• An outreach program directed to rural Iowa and Illinois K-12 students features hands-on seminars showcasing the myriad of career opportunities in engineering.
• A dual admissions program provides engineering students from community colleges a seamless transfer to St. Ambrose with maximum support and benefit and an additional $1,000 annual scholarship beyond other SAU academic and institutional scholarships and aid.
• The engineering department’s Program for Assistive Technologies for the Underprivileged allows students to complete assistive technology projects for clients with disabilities in the Quad Cities, Virginia and Brazil.
St. Ambrose University currently offers two engineering degree programs. The Industrial Engineering degree program prepares students to plan, design and supervise the installation of operational systems. Mechanical Engineering is the broadest discipline in engineering and utilizes a combination of human, material and economic resources to provide solutions to problems faced in society.
