Automotive Faculty Members Among Few to Fully Meet Standards

Published 04.16.2007

News
Faculty & Staff
School of Transportation & Natural Resources Technologies News

Fully meeting Ford Motor Co. standards for its Automotive Student Service Educational Training (ASSET) program are Christopher H. Van Stavoren, assistant professor of automotive technology (left), and John R. Cuprisin, associate professor of automotive technology, flanking Ford-donated diagnostic equipment in an automotive lab at Pennsylvania College of Technology. (Photo by Ashlin R. Hollinger, casual part-time student photographer)Two members of Pennsylvania College of Technology's automotive faculty are among a select few nationally to fully meet the Ford Motor Co.'s standards for its Automotive Student Service Educational Training program.

The achievements of Christopher H. Van Stavoren, assistant professor of automotive technology, and John R. Cuprisin, associate professor of automotive technology both allied with Penn College's Ford ASSET associate-degree major were honored in a letter from Jim Kelly, field technical specialist for Ford.

"I congratulate Chris and John on their hard work in meeting all six standards in 2006. This is not an easy accomplishment, and there are just six ASSET programs in the country to receive it," Kelly said, upon receiving Ford's Career Entry Program performance reviews. "(They) have been extremely diligent in completing the required training on time, ensuring their students receive up-to-date instruction on new technologies."

A $4,000 cash award to Penn College's Ford ASSET program will accompany the recognition, in addition to more than $10,000 worth of Integrated Diagnostic System scanning equipment that already has been delivered to the Parkes Automotive Technology Center.

"To achieve the status of being fully certified as an instructor takes hundreds of hours of work, and few ever achieve it," said Colin W. Williamson, dean of transportation technology. "Technology also changes, as do the technical-update courses, so our faculty are always trying to keep pace. Because the changes are so rapid, faculty have to be quick to respond to any new requirements, which takes extraordinary commitment."

Ford ASSET is an alliance among Ford Motor Co., Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers, and local participating colleges. It allows students to get on-the-job training at a sponsoring Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealership, while earning an associate degree in automotive technology.

For more information about Ford ASSET and other majors in the college's School of Transportation Technology, call (570) 327-4516, send e-mail or visit online .