Ships ahoy!
HVCC advanced technology students show their skills at capstone event
TROY, N.Y.>> After putting in many hours working on their capstone projects, students from Hudson Valley Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology program were able to show off their hard work Thursday afternoon during the program’s 24th annual commencement ceremony.
The event showcased 18 separate 1:50 scale replicas of the steamship USS Monitor created by advancedmanufacturing technology students at the college. Built during the Civil War in 1861 for the Union Navy, the Monitor was the first turreted ironclad steamship in the world. The contract to finance the iron for the ship was signed in the Manufacturers Bank in its original location at River and King streets in Troy.
During the ceremony, college President Drew Matonak announced every graduating senior in the program had secured employment in the field prior to graduation. There are 90 students currently enrolled in the program, 23 of whom will graduate on Saturday. “Today is an important milestone for each of you, but you’re not done,” Matonak said during the ceremony in the Bulmer Telecommunications Center auditorium. “I know that you have tremendous things ahead of you, tremendous accomplishments, tremendous contributions that you are going to be making not only to your companies, but also to our community.”
The ceremony is the culmination of the capstone project, which prepares students to work with advanced machining processes that produce tooling and components used to manufacture everything from electronics and defense equipment to power generators and aerospace apparatus.
Students, faculty, business sponsors, family and friends also heard encouraging words from U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, who is also a professional engineer.
“You folks are what we need,” Tonko said. “You graduates are bringing the skillset, the know how, the intelligence, the intellect, the work ethic and the passion to the scene at the most appropriate time.” The capstone ceremony is a chance for students to be recognized for their achievements and to present their working models to corporate sponsors who make the project possible. This year, more than $3,000 in cash prizes will be presented to students for their academic performance, and 17 models will be presented to sponsors.
Dan Morrell received a $150 cash award for his work, and he also spoke to his classmates Thursday.
“I want to thank all of the Hudson Valley staff for this wonderful program,” said Morrell. “Myself and 23 other graduates are entering this field where, with the use of advanced manufacturing software, we can do things that used to be called impossible. To all of my graduating class, we’re the future of manufacturing; don’t be afraid to push the limits and to think outside the box.”
The advanced manufacturing technology program at HVCC prepares graduates for immediate employment with high-tech manufacturing companies. The program’s coursework satisfies educational requirements for state machinist, toolmaker and CNC machinist and programmer apprenticeships. The program is a partnership with manufacturing companies throughout the region, many of which provide financial support including scholarships for books, tuition and fees, as well as part-time jobs for students that lead to full-time employment upon graduation.
The program has grown so much that the school is currently raising funds to build a muchneeded manufacturing building on campus that would offer more space for students to work and allow the college to add equipment for students to work on. College officials are hoping to have enough money raised by September to apply for a matching grant through New York state.