[264] First MTSU mechatronics gift of $15K will go toward endowing scholarships

MURFREESBORO — A $15,000 gift from the Southeast chapter of the International Beverage Packaging Association to the MTSU Foundation will go toward endowing student scholarships for the new mechatronics engineering program.

Southeast chapter members Jimmy Davis of Murfreesboro and Bill Batty of Murfreesboro and Fort Myers, Fla., delivered the check to Walter Boles, who serves as chairman of the Department of Engineering Technology.

“Ours is a philanthropic organization that provides funding to students in the packaging curriculum,” said Davis, an MTSU alumnus and owner of The Davis Groupe in Murfreesboro. “I didn’t think there would be anything better than to establish the first scholarship and/or endowment in the mechatronics program.”

Mechatronics engineering is a design process that combines mechanical, computer and electrical engineering along with systems integration and technical project management. This addition will allow the department Boles oversees to see students graduate with a true engineering degree. Learn more about this cutting-edge degree program by going online to http://www.mtsu.edu/programs/mechatronics/.

“Jimmy Davis was highly instrumental in getting mechatronics approved (by the Tennessee Board of Regents and Tennessee Higher Education Commission),” Boles said. “He worked hard on it; he’s extremely passionate about it, and this donation is evidence of that.”

Boles said it was “an honor to receive it (the gift) because it is the first for mechatronics.”

Amy C. Hardin, development director for the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, said she was delighted to work with Davis and Batty.  Their organization’s gift makes an impact toward the $25,000 minimum needed to endow the scholarship.

“Providing scholarship support is the top priority for the current MTSU Centennial Campaign, and this gift from Mr. Davis and Mr. Batty will aid in ensuring student success.”

Boles added the Southeast chapter of the International Beverage Packaging Association “gives money to several universities for good causes and we’re delighted they felt mechatronics engineering scholarships here are worthy of their donation.”

Batty is a past president and founder of the Southeast chapter. Davis serves as executive vice president of the St. Louis, Mo.-based International Beverage Packaging Association.

The mechatronics engineering program is based on a three-level international certification program created by Siemens AG, a German engineering company.

Professor Ahad Nasab serves as the program coordinator. For more information, call him at 615-898-2052 or 615-898-2776, or email Nasab at Ahad.Nasab@mtsu.edu.