University of Southern Maine

Raising the Bar

Mitchell Center Dedication Boosts Support for Students, Businesses

Roughly four decades ago, USM received nearly $500,000 from the Maine State Legislature to build a facility on USM's Gorham campus that would support instruction for Maine's industrial arts and technology teachers. Since then, the now-named John Mitchell Center has supported not only Maine teachers, but also hundreds of students and businesses from Maine and beyond through USM's School of Applied Science, Engineering, and Technology (ASET). In December 2004, USM again raised the bar in its capacity to support our region with the dedication of the completed 23,000-square-foot addition and renovations to the John Mitchell Center.

“ASET has just moved up several levels in its capacity to serve businesses of southern Maine,” says USM President Richard L. Pattenaude. “The stunning increase in capacity and sophistication of USM's John Mitchell Center will have an enormous impact in our region, particularly in the area of precision manufacturing. Not only can we develop the engineering and technology expertise among USM graduates, ASET will be able to greatly increase our work with local manufacturers. This is a key role in ASET's mission.”

John Wright, dean of ASET, says growth and expansion of the John Mitchell Center and ASET's reach was kicked off in 2001 following the Board of Visitors' call to USM to achieve national recognition for regional excellence and develop professional programs in science and technology.

“That drove us to think about what those science and technology programs might be,” says Wright. The charge also drove ASET to consider how it could better serve regional businesses in their efforts to grow the manufacturing and advanced technology industries in Maine.

In June 2002, the ability to expand the Mitchell Center's footprint was made possible when the 120th Session of the Maine State Legislature authorized and Maine voters approved a $4-million bond issue. Thanks to a fundraising campaign and to the efforts of Senators Susan M. Collins and Olympia J. Snowe, and Representative Thomas H. Allen, USM has matched the state funds with private and federal monies.

With construction completed, the Mitchell Center now houses new laboratories for industrial control and robotics, digital arts and technology, and environmental safety and health instruction, and more classrooms to accommodate increasing numbers of students, including those who are taking advantage of transfer agreements with the Maine Community College System. Existing spaces like the “Learning Factory” where students learn new manufacturing techniques and the “Skunk Works,” where students and faculty build working prototypes, have been renovated to encourage innovative thinking and development. Other highlights include: the use of “green” and natural materials for a healthy learning environment juxtaposed with stainless steel railings and exposed beams and wiring to promote the look and feel of technology and innovation; wireless capabilities throughout the building; new common and conference spaces to encourage interaction among students, faculty and business members; a 48-seat lecture hall; and new office spaces to accommodate ASET's growing faculty. Wright says the added space allows USM's technology and engineering-related departments to double enrollments from about 50 graduates to 100 graduates in five years. This is particularly important for ASET's continuing efforts to help address the region's growing demand for skilled professionals and services for the advanced technology sector.

Another byproduct of the expansion, he says, is that it allows USM to expand educational, consulting, product testing and related services to Maine industries. One example of this expansion is clearly visible in USM's products testing laboratory. With the help of a new 10,000-pound bridge crane suspended over 70,000-pound testing platform, Manufacturing Applications Center Director and Associate Professor William Moore and his team of consulting faculty and students can nowoffer prototype and product testing services to a greater range of businesses.

These kinds of services are valuable to the region because many Maine companies don't have access to advanced manufacturing technologies and related academic services, he says. In turn, the partnerships between USM and businesses benefit ASET's students.

“When you have enhanced technology that is brought right into the classroom, it not only increases the capabilities for industry, you can also train students to a higher level that will be in more demand in industry,” says Moore. “So, we are increasing our technology base for the students as well.”

Michael Wing, principal of the Carleton Group, a Gorham-based manufacturing consulting group, and 1990 ASET graduate, agrees. As a member of the ASET Executive Advisory Board, he says one challenge any university faces is producing graduates whose skills are current with industry needs. By expanding its work with regional business on current technology needs, he says USM stays tapped into the technology curve.

“In the business world, because of forces in the market, technology advances at a different rate. It's great for a school to be associated with business technology and draw some of that science away,” says Wing. “So, when someone hires a student they don't have to worry about getting him or her up to speed when they start.” Wright says this give and take between business and academia is critical to further Maine's economy and grow the advanced technology, manufacturing and engineering industries in Maine.

“Any region in the world with a success story in economic development has as a resource the support of an excellent technical university,” he says. “The impact of Route 128 is because of Boston's educational and intellectual resources. The success of the North Carolina Triangle is because of the University of North Carolina. Silicon Valley's success is because of San Jose State. USM is a beacon of light to help economic development in this region.”

“We are changing generations of lives here,” adds Wright. “That's what's so exciting about USM-that we can make a difference in the way in which you live your life.”

>back to currents