The Missouri Western State University Engineering Technology Advancement Committee presented awards to a student and a community leader at their annual awards banquet March 24. Ian Micah White, a senior construction engineering technology major, was presented with the Student Excellence Award. Donald P. Coleman, former president of Coleman Industrial Construction, received the Engineering Technology Excellence Award.
The Engineering Technology Student Excellence Award recognizes a current student in Missouri Western’s engineering technology program based on academic excellence, leadership and service. White came to Missouri Western from Moline, Ill., and in addition to his studies, he is employed by the Department of Engineering Technology as a 3D printer technician. After graduation, White intends to pursue a graduate degree in industrial engineering with a focus on research and development and 3D printing.
“I wholeheartedly thank my professors and our faculty for their unswerving personal commitment to student excellence,” White said at the awards banquet.
The Engineering Technology Excellence Award recognizes a member of the engineering technology industry who has shown outstanding and continuous commitment to advancing the field as well as support for Missouri Western’s mission, vision and legacy. Coleman served as vice president then president of Coleman Industrial Construction, Inc., from 1979 to 2008, then as director of marketing and estimating from 2010 to 2012. He is currently president of Argo Development Company, an industrial property developer. The Coleman Industrial Construction/Diane and Don Coleman Construction Management Scholarship at Missouri Western was established to encourage the entry of qualified students into careers in construction management. Coleman Industrial Construction has also provided numerous internship and employment opportunities to Missouri Western students and graduates.
The Engineering Technology Advancement Committee was created in 2009 to provide private industry support to Missouri Western’s department of engineering technology. Members of the committee raise funds for scholarships, endowments, specialized equipment and other needs; provide internship opportunities to current students; make guest speakers available; promote construction-related careers in northwest Missouri; and provide funding and support for Missouri Western’s Association of General Contractors Student Chapter.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.