Fred Bondra, Dean of the School of Manufacturing and Engineering Technology, Trudy Harper, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and former Tech student Gary Durham are pictured inside the current Tech foundry. Ms. Harper holds a metal placard that Mr. Durham made in a foundry when she was a student at the Polytechnic Institute and later gave her. Durham is holding the original mold used to make the placard.
Gary Durham thought his recent trip to Tennessee Tech would be a quick tour of campus. Since 1969, he thought it would be an opportunity to see how the campus had changed since he studied there as an industrial technology major in 1971. But it was actually more than that.
Mr. Durham’s tour led to a surprise event with his family and technical leaders, during which he learned that, thanks to the generosity of a special Soddy-Daisy resident, the university’s new foundry would be named after him. Ta.
The high-tech state is home to one of fewer than 20 active university foundries in the country. There, students gain hands-on experience with metal casting. The current foundry has been in operation since his 1930s, and its range of capabilities will be expanded with the construction of an entirely new facility within the university’s soon-to-be-constructed Advanced Construction and Manufacturing Engineering Building.
“Gary, the new foundry in the ACME building will be named after you to honor the courage and passion you showed for your work and to inspire the students who study there,” said President Teck. ‘s Phil Oldham said in his address to Mr Durham and Mr Durham. A gathering of family and friends.
The gesture was made by fellow countryman Sodhi Dacian and Teck board chair Trudy Harper, who first met Durham in the 1990s and were inspired by his story of enduring a lifetime of visual impairment. This was made possible through the generous gift of.
“I grew up in a blind family, so I was always sensitive to visual impairment,” Harper said. “A few years ago, when I first joined this board, Gary spoke to me about his days at a technology company and what the foundry meant to him. In his voice You can feel the passion.”
Although Mr. Durham did not earn a degree from Tech, Mr. Harper said the foundry was the “launching point” for his success. She wanted him to know that his contributions to the university and his tenacity in the face of hardship mattered, regardless of her degree status.
Ms. Harper decided to use her donation to name the new foundry after Mr. Durham, thereby dispelling any doubts about the significance of Mr. Durham’s impact on the campus community.
“He is a Golden Eagle like no other because he truly loves this university,” Ms. Harper added. “Planning this surprise was so rewarding. I knew he would be excited.”
Ms. Harper said her plans to honor her longtime friend were immediately welcomed by University Advancement leadership and staff, including Vice President Kevin Braswell, Vice President John Smith, and Director Elizabeth Sophia. He said he did.
“They have all been great partners in figuring out how we can work together to make this happen,” Harper added.
Durham, standing next to his wife Dee Dee, described the honor as a “flashback” to his life.
“My life was influenced by Tennessee Tech. I was always proud to come here,” Durham said. “I’ve never been at a loss for words, but I’m honored to have my name mentioned in this way. It’s a very humbling feeling.”
In addition to metal casting, the new Tech Foundry will enhance its offerings in advanced manufacturing and construction, fabrication, machine learning and cyber-physical systems, industrial robotics, mechatronics, and real-world concrete and steel manufacturing and testing. Provide students with practical experience.
For more information about Foundry and Tech’s Manufacturing and Engineering Technology Division, visit https://www.tntech.edu/engineering/programs/met/index.php.
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