West Virginia University has been named aTier Oneschool by Milliken&Company, a leading textile and chemical manufacturer, as part of its Engineering Excellence program. The designation is primarily the result of a relationship that has been developing over the past several years between Milliken and WVU s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.
Based in Spartanburg, S.C., Milliken manufactures more than 38,000 textile and chemical products, including high-performance fabrics used in aerospace, automotive, residential, commercial and industrial applications. Earlier this year, FORTUNE named it one of the top 100 companies to work for in the United States.
WVU students have excelled in the Milliken environment,said Stephen Alford, director of quality for Millikens Global Airbag Division, and a 1987 graduate of WVU with a degree in chemical engineering.Our other Tier One schools are closer to our own region, but we seek out WVU students and graduates based on the quality of those who have come to work here over the years.
In practice, theTier Onedesignation means that Milliken will send a team to WVU several times each year to raise awareness of career opportunities and to recruit students for internships, cooperative education positions and permanent employment opportunities with the company. The company team will work closely with the University and with the College of Engineering and Mineral ResourcesOffice of Corporate Relations and Career Assistance.
We look forward to this expanded partnership,said Gene Cilento, dean of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.Milliken has become an excellent source of internships and permanent employment for our students and graduates. We also are hopeful that this partnership may lead to future opportunities for research collaboration and other initiatives in our common interest.
In addition to Alford, other WVU graduates currently working at Milliken include Dan Busch, plant engineer (electrical engineering04); Todd Caldwell, supply chain manager (chemical engineering96); Brett Clay, product/process engineer (mechanical engineering00); Ryan Hoffman, industrial engineer (industrial engineering05); Shah Huda, on leave to pursue his doctorate degree (chemical engineering, WVU Institute of Technology98); Matt Jenkins, senior production manager (industrial engineering01); Tracy Lambeth, market manager (chemistry90); Bob MaHaffey, senior development chemist (chemistry68); Jared Morgan, product/process improvement manager (industrial engineering03); Jim Rogers, market manager (chemical engineering86); Lauren Sanders, industrial engineering manager/controller (industrial engineering00); Ben Sims, product/process engineering (industrial engineering06); Shawn Smith, product/process engineer (industrial engineering05); Nick Stratita, senior production manager (chemical engineering01); Adana Taylor, market manager (marketing83) Kris Tingler, process improvement manager (industrial engineering01); Nicole Tingler, senior production manager (industrial engineering00); David Tyner, pursuing a masters at ITT as a Milliken Fellow (electrical engineering03); and Lane Young, senior product/process engineer (chemical engineering01).