Article Date:  10/17/2001

DENSO Foundation Hosts Reception for Grant Recipients from Nine Universities

Featured Speaker Dr. David E. Cole to Discuss Key Automotive Trends

Southfield, Mich. - The DENSO North America Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization established last January, will host a reception Oct. 18 at DENSO International America, Inc., in Southfield, for the foundation's first-year grant recipients, faculty and staff from nine U.S. universities. Total foundation funding for these universities totaled $550,500 this year.

Dr. David E. Cole, director, Center for Automotive Research, in Ann Arbor, Mich., and a foundation board member, will speak on "Key Trends in the North American and Global Automotive Industries."

John Voorhorst, foundation president and vice president, External Affairs, DENSO International America, will recognize the following grant recipients:

• Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, Mich., which received a $225,000 grant over five years for two new labs: DENSO Instructional Technology Resource Laboratory and DENSO Collaborative Learning Laboratory;

• Kettering University, Flint, Mich., which received a $100,000 grant over five years for the DENSO Automotive Systems Modeling, Simulation and Control Laboratory;

• East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tenn., which received a $66,000 grant over two years for electronic equipment to develop a mobile laboratory for extension campus students and to support student field work in the local manufacturing industry;

• Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., which received a $41,500 grant to purchase a turbojet engine for the Mechanical Engineering Department's Energetics Laboratory;

• Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Mich., which received a $35,000 grant for its Automotive Design Enterprise to support its student FutureTruck team;

• Kellogg Community College, Battle Creek, Mich., which received a $34,000 grant to convert training modules to e-based formats;

• California State University-Long Beach,, which received a $34,000 grant for a College of Engineering project to enhance manufacturing mechanical engineering programs and better prepare students for the California workforce, and

• Tennessee Technology Center, Athens, Tenn., which received a $5,000 grant to establish an educational foundation to support its Industrial Maintenance Program.

Representatives from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich., which has a pending grant with the foundation, also will attend the reception.

Tony Takeuchi, foundation founder/advisor, and president and CEO of DENSO International America, will welcome guests with an overview of DENSO and Stan Tooley, foundation board member and senior vice president of DENSO Manufacturing Michigan in Battle Creek, will discuss professional career opportunities.

The DENSO North America Foundation, funded by DENSO International America, provides grants to institutions of higher education with an emphasis on engineering, technology and business.

For more information, visit the Foundation website at www.densofoundation.org or write to: DENSO North America Foundation, 24777 Denso Dr., P.O. Box 5133, Southfield, Mich. 48086.

DENSO Corporation employs 85,000 people in 28 countries and regions. In North America. DENSO employs 13,000 people at 21 companies.

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