Officials from Robert Bosch LLC Automotive Aftermarket North America and Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU) gathered at the SIU Transportation Education Center on April 9 to dedicate the Bosch Automotive Parts Center.
The facility acts as the central hub for connecting students to the public, and for providing quality automotive parts for student laboratory work. It also houses the Automotive Technology department’s retail parts and service operations office.
The Parts Center is named in recognition of a $40,000 gift from Bosch to the university in support of its Automotive Technology Program, one of only a few in the nation to offer an Automotive Technology Baccalaureate Degree. Established in 1952, the competitive admission program has more than 250 national and international students with more than 70 graduates each year.
Representatives from Bosch Automotive Aftermarket NA, including Tim Bruin, vice president field sales; Rob Darrow, manager-strategic projects; and James Seargent, senior customer marketing analyst, presented a dedication plaque to SIU’s Andy Wang, Dean of the College of Applied Sciences and Arts; and Mike Behrmann, Automotive Technology department chair. Darrow and Seargent are both SIU Automotive Technology program graduates. Adam Wolfe was also on the dais representing current SIU program students. Wolfe is also a Bosch co-op.
“This gift from Bosch supports the university’s mission to recruit talented students to serve the region and beyond,” said Dean Wang. “Through this Bosch Automotive Parts Center, we are able to create a unique learning environment with advanced automotive technologies and a great variety of auto parts and supplies that equip our students to become leaders in the automotive industry.”
“Support from Bosch also allows the department’s outstanding faculty to remain involved in research and development of some of the most advanced technical and business innovations occurring in the industry,” commented Mike Behrmann. “The SIU and Bosch working relationship supports the entire educational environment for students, faculty and the public.”
The Bosch Automotive Aftermarket division regularly recruits and currently employs a number of graduates of the SIU Automotive Technology Program in a range of sales and marketing positions.
“We find the SIU grads to be knowledgeable from both the technical and business perspectives, highly enthusiastic, and innovative thinkers who have advanced Bosch and the industry through their contributions,” remarked Bosch’s Bruin.
“As the world’s largest automotive supplier, Bosch has a particular passion to foster the education and growth of those who will build the future of this industry. We are both honored and proud to partner with the Southern Illinois University Automotive Technology department to support its unique program, equipping students with the specialized knowledge and skills needed to step into active and productive roles in their chosen fields,” said Odd Joergenrud, regional president North America, Robert Bosch LLC, Automotive Aftermarket.
Visit www.automotive.siu.edu/ for more information about the SIU Automotive Technology program.
