Carthage receives grant from We Energies Foundation

Congratulations to the Engineering Department for receiving a $10,000 grant from the We Energies Foundation!

Construction is complete on the first phase of the Engineering Center in Lentz Hall, and with the help of this generous grant, we are equipping the Electromechanical Systems Lab and the MakerSpace with learning tools that will serve students in the brand new B.A. and B.S. in Engineering programs. The grant supported the purchase of sixteen 30V 3A power supplies and two 1-30V 30A power supplies.

Over the past year, Carthage has redesigned the first floor of Lentz Hall to house the Engineering Center. With phase one complete, students now have access to two large design studios, makerspace, fabrication lab, and project storage where courses such as Introduction to Engineering, Managing Engineering Ventures, Statics and Mechanics, Materials, and Internet of Things will be taught. The equipment provided by the We Energies Foundation are essential learning tools for these and future engineering courses.

Robert Nagel, director of engineering, has been closely supervising the development of the Engineering Center in Lentz Hall. Prof. Nagel approaches engineering education as a hands-on, exploratory process, an approach he attributes to his penchant for building and tinkering.

He states, “Learning is discovery! Our curriculum and spaces should be designed and constructed to facilitate the excitement of discovery in our students.”

Between We Energies’ generous grant and Carthage professors such as Prof. Nagel, our Engineering Department is preparing Carthage students toward successful future careers as engineers.

Partnerships like the one with We Energies illustrate how Carthage engineering is continuing to create strong connections with the wider community of employers and high schools in Southeast Wisconsin. These connections will strengthen and grow Kenosha and Southeast Wisconsin, making Kenosha more inviting for engineers and future tech and manufacturing entrepreneurs.

This work requires intentional action to ensure such a pathway is accessible to all students with interest and aptitude in engineering. Our students will learn through real projects and partner with actual stakeholders to address our community’s needs. While our partnerships with industry partners will ensure a robust curriculum, partnerships with regional high schools and colleges will identify ways to keep students on the path toward graduation.

Support the engineering program: give today

Sponsoring Department, Office, or Organization:

Engineering Department

For more information, contact:

Robert Nagel: rnagel@carthage.edu