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MiMfg Magazine
November 2017
Dr. Paul Plotkowski
2017 MFG Talent Champion
Seymour & Esther Padnos College of Engineering
and Computing at Grand Valley State University
Paul Plotkowski
Dean
Seymour & Esther Padnos
College of Engineering
and Computing at Grand
Valley State University
The Padnos College, established in 2004,
includes the Schools of Engineering,
Computing & Information Systems and
Occupational Safety and Health
Management. GVSU named the College
in honor of Seymour and Esther Padnos
to recognize their commitment to creating
an environment where students and
faculty can reach their full potential in the
fields of engineering and Computing.
excellence
AWARDS
Even though Paul Plotkowski was named
MMA’s MFG Talent Champion for 2017,
you would think he was accepting the Award
on behalf of a team of more than 250
manufacturers throughout West Michigan.
“I don’t think we could have done it
without our partners in industry,” said
Plotkowski, founding and present dean of the
Seymour and Esther Padnos College of
Engineering and Computing at Grand Valley
State University (GVSU) in Grand Rapids.
“Every undergraduate student in our program
participates in a year-long paid co-op or
internship, and that wouldn’t be possible
without the support of our area companies.”
The university has graduated more than
3,000 students in engineering and computer
science since the college was founded in 1991,
and Plotkowski credits the emphasis on co-ops
and internships as a main reason for its success.
“Our students hit the ground running so
much more effectively when they graduate with
practical experience from their internships
and co-ops,” said Plotkowski, who holds
a doctorate in Systems Engineering from
Oakland University. “And it’s always a win-win
situation for both student and company
sponsor. The students work on real-life
problems to come up with industrial-grade
working solutions.
“So many are hired by their sponsors after
they graduate that we like to say it’s often a
case of ‘interview once and hire twice.’’’
Under the direction of Plotkowski, GVSU
also has continued to evolve with the advances
in manufacturing technology during the past
26 years, particularly in the field of computer-
based applications for product design and
manufacturing engineering.
After a stint as a professor of mechanical
engineering and director of manufacturing
systems engineering at GMI Institute in
Flint (now Kettering University), Plotkowski
joined GVSU and introduced a manufacturing
engineering program in his role as director
of the School of Engineering. He then served
as the founding dean of the College of
Engineering and Computing when it was
formed in 2004.
During the past two decades, the college
has continued to add studies in product
design, biomedical engineering design of
components and mechatronics.
Charles Standridge, Ph.D., associate
dean of the Padnos College, said Plotkowski
has “worked tirelessly to gain financial
support for student tuition scholarships
from industrial partners.”
Standridge, who nominated Plotkowski for
the MFG Talent Champion, said the School
of Engineering awards more than $100,000
annually in scholarships due primarily to
Plotkowski’s efforts.
Under Plotkowski’s leadership, the
college also has continued to grow in terms
of facilities and endowments. During the
past two decades, GVSU has received more
than $37 million in contributions from
federal and state governments, corporations
and private donors to support facilities,
scholarships, endowed faculty positions,
curriculum development and research and
development. Some examples include the
Keller Engineering Lab Building dedicated
in 2000, the Kennedy Hall of Engineering
dedicated in 2007, and a new Design &
Innovation Center in a third building slated
to open in 2019.
Outside of the classroom, Plotkowski
contributes time to educational and
professional organizations.
“He mentors inner city high school
students at Innovation Central in Grand
Rapids,” Standridge said. “In service to the
greater academic community, Paul donates his
time as an ABET Program Evaluator for
undergraduate Manufacturing, Mechanical
and Interdisciplinary Engineering programs.
He annually dedicates over 150 hours to
review and consult with such programs.”
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