Archive for May 2021
BTECH to Celebrate 50 Years with June 25th FREE Family Event
Bridgerland Technical College is excited to host a celebration for its 50th anniversary! This celebration will take place on June 25, 2021, from 3—8 p.m. at the Logan Campus. Come enjoy a family event, for all ages, with free food and free fun!
Events include:
- An Animal Sciences petting zoo for kids to learn about animals.
- A car show with student projects, hosted by Automotive Service, Auto Collision, and Diesel.
- Design a free T-shirt of your choice at the Media Design booth.
- A Police Academy nerf gun war to blast COVID-19 to bits.
- Brief massages given by Therapeutic Massage students.
- Get ready to dig with excavators from the Heavy Equipment Operator program.
- and so much more!
The celebration theme is, “BTECH through the Groovy Years!” There will be lots of tie-dye, bell-bottoms, and music to celebrate the night. This event will be held outside, on the east and south ends of the school, to allow for social distancing. Masks and hand sanitizer will available for those who choose to use them.
We can’t wait to see you there!
Gene Haas Foundation Attends Ribbon Cutting for Machining Technology
Gene Haas Foundation dignitaries were welcomed to Bridgerland Technical College on May 13, 2021, to commemorate the donation of a $250,000 grant utilized in remodeling the Machining Technology classrooms, and laboratory.
Wes Chambers, Department Head of the Machining Technology program, commented, “Thanks to the generous grant from the Gene Haas Foundation, we were able to update the lab to make it function more like the local machine shops, which really elevates the hands-on training the students get to enjoy in this program.”
Mr. Gene Haas of Oxnard, California, started Gene Haas Manufacturing in the early 1960s and turned it into a worldwide company providing machining tools, lathes, and equipment to anywhere from small machine shops to large corporations. The Gene Haas Foundation has supported machining education for several decades and has given out over $100 million to enhance and support students in skill development.
Vance Briggs, High School Instructor for Machining Technology, said, “What I’m most excited about has been the expansion of the classroom. We have increased our class space and the computers by 50%, which I am excited about. It will allow me to let in students in who may have previously been turned away because of lack of space.”
The Cache Valley Chamber of Commerce was on hand with their team to celebrate the new “Gene Haas Center for Machining Innovation,” which is a designation within the Machining Technology program that encourages excellence in technology and skill development.
During the event, the Gene Haas Foundation also donated an additional $30,000 in scholarship money to be utilized by students in the Machining Technology program. Frank Stewart, Chief Development Officer, said, “The impact and influence that Mr. Gene Haas has had for both high school and college students in technical education and machining specifically is exponential. Scholarships and equipment support give our students a big leg up in gaining their education and a rewarding career.”
The Machining Technology program at Bridgerland Technical College began in 1994 and has steadily grown to provide certification in CNC machining and production to both high school and post-secondary learners. Scott Danielson, says, “Graduates have plenty of opportunities to become high-wage/high-demand employees for a number of companies that service and produce related equipment in northern Utah.”
Fashion Show to Focus on Sustainable Fashion
The upcoming Spring Fashion show presented by the Fashion Merchandising and Development program will be called, “SALVAGED… a sustainable fashion show”. The students selected this theme to bring awareness to one of the biggest concerns and areas of focus in the fashion industry today, sustainability.
Because the fashion industry is one of worlds 2nd leading polluters next to the oil industry, there has to be an effort and plan of action for change. We want to be a part of that in some small way!
By the numbers, the fashion industry accounts for 17-20% of global water pollution, 10% of global carbon emissions, 21 billion tons of garbage per year, and uses 20,000 liters of water to produce only 1kg of cotton . Those numbers are alarming to say the least not to mention rapidly increasing due to the demands of consumers and pace of fast fashion.
So, for this particular show, Fashion Merchandising and Development students were given the challenge of focusing on recycling, reusing and repurposing existing items. Taking something old or from nothing and turning it into something amazing!
They were only allowed to use items that we thrifted from the last chance Goodwill Outlet, our back storage room full of old fabric, past fashion show designs, recycled materials and trims etc., and donated samples from Roolee. This posed a great challenge and unlimited opportunities for creativity at the same time. Students have had to be extremely resourceful and inventive from start to finish.
Just by wearing your clothes for 9 months longer it can reduce the carbon footprint of that garment by 30%. By buying one used item instead of brand new or by remaking or mending something and giving it all new life, it can save over 6lbs of Co2 emissions which is the equivalent of taking half a million cars off the road for a year!!
The same works for investing in quality items that you can wear season after season and year after year. Not only have our students worked hard to make an impact and bring awareness to this topic but they have created amazing pieces and we can’t wait to showcase them. Due to Covid event guidelines and restrictions will be hosting this show in private for limited family and friends selected by the student designers and models. We will also provide a link for people to view the show in the safety of their homes at their convenience. More details to come.
Amber Lusk – Platinum Performer for Business Technology
The Platinum Performer for Business Technology is Amber Lusk! She is from Wellsville and enjoys long-distance bike rides. Amber came to Bridgerland Technical College because it was affordable, self-paced, and gave her the skills she needed to start a career.
Amber’s favorite part of the program was the people she met and worked with. To her instructors, Amber commented, “It’s because of you and your endless cheering on that I was able to succeed. . . so thank you!”
Amber’s dream job is to work for a company that values their employees, has a great work environment, and where everybody gets along. We are happy to announce that Amber has now been hired as an instructor in the Business Technology program! We hope we can live up to the ideals she values, and we are excited to see all the students she will help during her employment at Bridgerland Technical College!