Article Date:  08/01/2002

DENSO Foundation Awards a Total of $370,000 to Three Universities

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - The DENSO North America Foundation approved a series of grants this May totaling $370,000 to be given to the following universities:

- University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, Mich. - $150,000 to support the development of the DENSO Team Design Center,

- Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Mich. - $100,000 to support the $72.5 million building campaign for the new College of Engineering, currently under construction, and

- Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tenn. - $120,000 to support the development of the DENSO Vehicle Engineering Complex.

Grants to the University of Detroit Mercy and Tennessee Technological University will be distributed over three years, while the grant to Western Michigan University will be distributed over two years. The DENSO North America Foundation is the first North American charitable foundation established by a Japan-based automotive supplier. Funded by DENSO International America, Inc., the foundation provides grants to institutions of higher education with an emphasis on engineering, technology, and related business programs.

"We take pride in supporting higher education," says John Voorhorst, president, DENSO North America Foundation. "Our financial support allows us to support DENSO's worldwide mission of contributing to a better world by creating value together with a vision for the future."

To date, the foundation has provided support to eleven universities, totaling nearly $1 million in grant funding. Past recipients include:

--- California State University, Long Beach, Calif.;

--- East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tenn.;

--- Kellogg Community College, RMTC, Battle Creek, Mich.;

--- Kettering University, Flint, Mich.;

--- Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, Mich.;

--- Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Mich.;

--- Tennessee Technological Center, Athens, Tenn., and

--- Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.

Established Jan. 1, 2001 with $5 million in assets, the foundation is incorporated in the State of Michigan as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Future assets are expected to total approximately $15 million at full endowment in 2010.

DENSO Corporation, a global supplier of advanced automotive technology, systems and components, employs 87,000 people in 30 countries. In North America, DENSO employs 14,000 people at 26 companies.

For more information about the North America Foundation, visit the foundation's website at www.densofoundation.org, or write to: DENSO North America Foundation, 24777 Denso Dr., P.O. Box 5133, Southfield Mich., 48086. For more information about DENSO in North America, visit www.densocorp-na.com

###

Back