MTI Donates First Major Gift To New OWCC Bachelor's Program
07/23/2003
No one can ever accuse Dr. Paul Hsu of not being visionary, innovative or up to any challenge. That's what he expects of the people at his company, Manufacturing Technology Inc. That's also what Hsu expects from those with whom he collaborates.
When Okaloosa-Walton Community College announced its new four-year degree program in Project and Acquisition Management, Hsu didn't have to think twice. If ever there was a program that was tailor-made for MTI this was it a homegrown pipeline to train people to work in MTI's sophisticated aerospace and defense electronics company.
"Creating high skill job growth requires a partnership, and education assets like OWCC support our employee development and prepare those we seek to hire for complex technical assignments," said Hsu in announcing MTI has donated $50,000 to OWCC's "Shaping the Future by Degrees Campaign" to develop the college's first four-year degree program in Project and Acquisition Management. The gift was the first received by OWCC in its campaign to underwrite the new bachelor's degree program.
Hsu made the contribution on behalf of MTI to Dr. Bob Richburg, President of OWCC. MTI's campaign gift will be split to support the BAS curriculum development and fund an MTI Scholarship Endowment for BAS students.
"This new Bachelor's degree program is every thing we doacquisition management, quality management, project cost management, technology management," said Hsu of the Fort Walton Beach company's mission. "That's only part of the reason why our company supports the establishment of the new local four-year degree."
Hsu, the Taiwan-born CEO who started MTI with two people and grew it into a multi-million dollar firm with 468 employees in nine operating location in the U.S., said a key element of the degree program is to increase the career potential of officers and senior NCOs separating from the areas military bases who want to work the private sector.
"This degree program also offers new opportunities for technicians to upgrade their education for advancement," said Hsu. "Even some of our existing personnel with degrees could benefit from some of the coursework available in this program."
Richburg said MTI's donation is the first major gift to the "Shaping the Future Campaign" of the OWCC Foundation to raise $500,000 to bring the new BAS program on line in August 2004.
"I have learned to never underestimate Paul Hsu's wisdom and generosity, but our college is certainly honored by both qualities today," said Richburg. "I've also learned that Dr. Hsu expects results from this partnership with our college. This contribution today is a major step in enabling our college to produce the results in trained and knowledgeable graduates that Paul Hsu wants for MTI."
Richburg said he is pleased that the Project and Acquisition Management degree program "is the right fit for MTI, and we hope it will be the right fit for other technology firms in our area to help them bring quality people to their companies." Richburg said OWCC hopes other businesses will follow MTI's lead in making the financial commitment to the degree program.
In April 2003, OWCC received approval from the Florida State Board of Education to offer a Bachelor's degree program in Project and Acquisitions Management. OWCC president, Dr. Bob Richburg, has called this the " . . .most significant instructional milestone in OWCC's 40-year history --it will take OWCC to a whole new level in higher education and expand the opportunities we can offer area citizens. "
Upon approval by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and School, OWCC's accreditation board, OWCC anticipates beginning the Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Fall 2004. The OWCC Bachelor's degree will allow specialization in five areas: acquisitions, project management, quality management, training and development, and a customized track of study.
To develop financial support for the new OWCC four-year degree program, private funds and corporate gifts are needed since state funds are limited to begin new degree programs. The "Shaping the Future by Degrees" campaign through the OWCC Foundation seeks to raise a total of $500,000 to help establish a $250,000 endowment fund for a permanent source of scholarship assistance and faculty/instructional support and $250,000 for general instructional program support through a restricted fund. Funds will benefit teaching and learning and will help the region's industry through the training of business professionals who will lead our community into the future.
For information on the degree program see www.owcc.edu/bachelor.
