Thanks to his strong interest in the mushrooming mechatronics field, Jacob Dean has made a virtually seamless leap, while still a teenager, from high school to community college and now to a university and an internship, starting in January.

After signing an internship agreement with Bridgestone Dec. 1, Dean, 19, of La Vergne, Tennessee, will begin pursuing his bachelor’s degree in mechatronics engineering at MTSU with the financial assistance of Bridgestone Americas.

Dean becomes the first mechatronics student in the country to use a dual-enrollment program to make the transition from La Vergne High School to Motlow State Community College and finally to MTSU.

Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field of engineering that includes a combination of systems, mechanical, electrical, telecommunications, control and computer engineering.

Dean will be able to achieve the Level 3 certification of German-based Siemens AG, Europe’s largest engineering company, at MTSU, which is the only university in the world with Level 3 certification. He gained his Level 2 certification at Motlow and Level 1 certification at La Vergne.

“This is a very exciting day,” said Dean, who will graduate Dec. 12 from Motlow. “I will be the first intern from Bridgestone to be sent to a university to receive a bachelor’s degree.”

Dean discovered mechatronics in high school, where La Vergne has its own program.

“I felt it was God’s calling so I just went with it, and I’ve been at it ever since,” said Dean, who added he enjoys how “it dealt with robotics and a robotics arm, all the fundamentals that piece one component together.”

Keenly aware of Dean’s interest in mechatronics and his work ethic, Keith Hamilton, director of Bridgestone’s North America Manufacturing Education Center, said his company is “tickled” to offer the internship, which includes paying Dean’s tuition and books while he attends MTSU.

“We have gotten to watch him since high school,” Hamilton said. “He has been in this (NAMEC) building many times.

“We have a real close partnership with MTSU. This day has been a little while coming, but we’re happy all these things have come about.”

Dean will be an intern in the technical services engineering department.

Jacob Dean, front row center, of La Vergne, Tennessee, signs an internship agreement to work with Bridgestone North Americas plant in La Vergne while he attends MTSU and studies mechatronics engineering for his final two undergraduate years. Also signing are, at left, Bridgestone’s Keith Hamilton,director of Bridgestone’s educational services, and MTSU mechatronics coordinator Ahad Nasab. Observing the signing are, standing from left, Joe Williams and Sean Kelly of Bridgestone, Fred Rascoe of Motlow College, MTSU engineering technology chair Walter Boles and Tyra Pilgrim of Rutherford County Schools. (MTSU photos by Randy Weiler)

MTSU engineering technology chair Walter Boles has watched the mechatronics program, which began in August 2013, grow to 250 students. He said that he, program coordinator Ahad Nasab and the faculty are “eager to serve the community and industry in developing programs to address the educational skills gap between high-technology careers and students seeking an education.”

“Mechatronics engineering is one program that does this very well,” Boles added. “Bridgestone is a strong supporter and partner, and I am honored to work with them to make continued progress toward the goal.”

Beth Duffield, vice president for workforce development for the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, applauded Bridgestone for its “continued leadership in mentoring our high school and postsecondary students for the manufacturing workplace.”

“Employers are telling us they need employees with both technical skills and work experience,” Duffield added. “We need more employers like Bridgestone who are willing to step up and employ students through internships or work-based learning experiences to make sure we have a truly prepared workforce for our growing community.”

Motlow expanded its mechatronics program at its Smyrna campus and partnered with Bridgestone to create a training facility onsite at Bridgestone to prepare students to move quickly into high-skill jobs.

The partnership also includes Rutherford County Schools. Tyra Pilgrim, career and technical education director for Rutherford County Schools, attended the Dec. 1 signing along with Nasab, Motlow’s Fred Rascoe and Bridgestone’s Joe Williams and Sean Kelly.

Bridgestone has a similar agreement for Level 1 certification with Warren County Schools at its plant in McMinnville, Tennessee.

For more on the mechatronics program, visit www.mtsu.edu/programs/mechatronics or call Nasab at 615-898-2052.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

Jacob Dean, center, is flanked by Bridgestone North Americas Keith Hamilton, left, and MTSU’s Walter Boles after Dean agreed to become a Bridgestone intern while attending MTSU starting in January 2016. Bridgestone will pay for Dean’s tuition and books as he majors in mechatronics engineering. Hamilton is director of the North America Manufacturing Education Center, and Boles is chair of the MTSU engineering technology department.