In a Michigan school district near the Ohio border, Michigan Technological University engineering programs have a champion in educator Kim Benson. Though unaffiliated with the university, Benson has been encouraging students to attend Tech throughout her teaching career. Now, a new MTU dual enrollment program is doing even more to help her students become Husky engineers.
The dual enrollment program with Michigan Tech's Department of Engineering Fundamentals and Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) makes it possible for Benson's students to receive credit for MTU engineering courses before they graduate.
Benson has been teaching in the Lenawee Intermediate School District (LISD), based in Adrian, Michigan, near the state's Ohio border, for more than 12 years. She teaches engineering, design and CAD — computer-aided design — at the LISD TECH Center. Here, high school juniors and seniors take part in a free career technical education program, earning college credit and gaining technical training as part of their high school experience.
Michigan Tech may seem like a faraway place to LISD students — but not in Benson's classroom. Neither an alumna nor a former employee, she encourages her students to consider Tech based on the University's reputation.
"Michigan Technological University is one of the nation's premier engineering schools, and I am proud to partner with them to provide opportunities for my students," said Benson. "I know that Michigan Tech graduates consistently go on to achieve outstanding careers, and I am grateful to help my students take their first steps on that path."
Benson's students have been coming to Michigan Tech for over a decade. In 2023, she sought to make the established pipeline more secure.
"Kim reached out to me that summer because she wanted to get more of her students to come to Michigan Tech," said Audra Morse, civil engineering professor and associate dean of academic affairs for the College of Engineering. "She just knows we produce great engineers."
Students in Benson's engineering classes can earn credit with Michigan Tech in courses on engineering problem-solving and analysis, modeling and design, and 3D spatial visualization, all paid for by their school district. The students enroll at Tech, earn Tech credit and utilize Tech resources, with Benson as their instructor. She says that familiarity is key.
"My students value the chance to work with a teacher they already know and trust, which makes the experience less intimidating and allows them to fully engage with the curriculum. They also enjoy building friendships and study groups across multiple classes, creating professional networks that will benefit them well beyond graduation."
And Benson's students are grateful for the opportunity. Marisela Fermin, one of Benson's former students, is currently a first-year Husky on Tech's campus in Houghton. Through her coursework with the LISD TECH Center and Michigan Tech, she earned certifications in four different design software programs and chose to major in civil engineering because of them.
"The class definitely prepared me for Michigan Tech by providing me with job industry knowledge and increasing my other skills, like professionalism, public speaking, and problem-solving," said Fermin. "I chose civil engineering because of the TRAC Bridge Challenges that I attended with my instructor Kim Benson. Those competitions inspired me to pursue civil engineering because of the exposure in bridge design and modeling."
Fermin fell so in love with engineering design that she plans to make a career out of it. "Not only do I love designing, but I love inspecting what I designed," she said. "After college, I hope to work in the structural side of civil engineering, where I will design plans for bridges, roads, and building infrastructures."
While Benson hopes that her students will end up at Michigan Tech, she knows the coursework will prepare her students for success regardless of where they end up.
"As a high school engineering teacher with more than 20 years of experience, I have seen how impactful it is for students to take college-level courses while still in high school," said Benson. "The Michigan Tech classes give students confidence, challenge them with university-level expectations, and prepare them for a successful transition into higher education."
Michigan Tech's partnership with LISD is now in its third year. Morse hopes to replicate it with other schools in the state.
"Kim has made this work in her school district and she's a great ambassador for Tech's programs," said Morse. "The student testimonials affirm for us that we know this path is working. We hope to expand it to other school districts in the future."
Michigan Technological University is an R1 public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan's flagship technological university offers more than 185 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
Comments