School:Oregon Institute of Technology
Contents
Background
The Oregon Institute of Technology is a polytechnic institute with its main campus in Klamath Falls, Oregon. It was founded in 1947 to re-educate World War II veterans. There are four main departments: business, engineering, healthcare, and communication.
Promoting Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Undergraduate Courses
1) Senior Project Sequence
Engineering and Business majors must complete a sequence of three classes titled “Senior Project.” This is a year long sequence that involves a hands-on project chosen by the student. This project is encouraged to be innovative and put to use all of the skills that they have learned at Oregon Tech. Students may work with local businesses to solve problems that they encounter. Some students have used this project to start small businesses that still exist years later.
2) Major Specific Courses
Nearly all major specific courses at Oregon Tech have a lab class or some other hands-on component present. Students will often have one or two lab classes a term. This gives students the tools to be confident in their skills in a field and come up with innovative solutions. The business classes such as Marketing I work with local businesses to help innovate solutions to their problems.
Organizations
Infrastructure
1) CEET Makers Space
The CEET Makers Space is a new lab that was put on campus when the CEET building (Center for Excellence in Engineering and Technology) was built in 2021. It has lab space for students, along with several 3D printers that are free to use for students and staff.
2) Cornett Building
Cornett is the primary engineering building on campus, and it is filled with workspaces and labs for students. Students are allowed to use these labs, and they are filed with resources like welding equipment, 3D printers, a carbon fiber printer, CNC equipment, and more. It is all free for students to use, and many labs have raw materials as well.
Encouraging Faculty Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Faculty are encouraged to participate in research and to pursue other industry connections. However, there is no official resources on campus to help them.
Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration
1) MECOP
MECOP stands for “Multiple Engineering Cooperative Program.” This is a west coast program that pairs engineering students with companies for two six-month internships. Many Oregon Tech students participate in this program because it gives them a full year of industry experience before leaving college. Professors also teach students skills they will need knowing that many of them will participate in this program.
2) Consideration for Professors
One of the main considerations for hiring professors is the amount of industry experience an individual has. Many Oregon Tech classes are hands-on, and its professors teach actual strategies used in industry. Several professors continue to work in industry as they teach; this allows them to have first-hand knowledge of the tools used in industry and teach them to students. This gives students an excellent preparation of industry skills.
Engaging with Regional and Local Economic Development Efforts
Catalyze Klamath
Catalyze Klamath is a local competition that invites entrepreneurs to develop their business ideas and compete for funding for those ideas. These are businesses that will be developed and nurtured in the Klamath basin.
Related Links
Oregon Tech Student Priorities
Oregon Tech's University Fellows
Related links
