In four years’ time, MTSU and McGavock High School in Nashville have forged a budding relationship as partners in The Academies of Nashville program.

The Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools’ academies throughout Davidson County enable students to learn through the lens of a career or academic theme in a highly personalized learning community, the system’s website said. Through their respective academy, students are exposed to a multitude of careers and opportunities, industry skills and potential employers by way of classroom speakers, site visits, job shadowing and internships.

The MTSU-McGavock results include:

McGavock High School senior Zach Cotterman, left, utilizes a flashlight to inspect an internal part of the wing on a Cessna airplane donated by MTSU as class instructor Carlos Smith observes. MTSU has donated time and equipment in the partnership. (MTSU photos by News and Media Relations)

•  Current McGavock senior Chris Hodnicak being accepted into the MTSU aerospace program, where he will focus on the administration side;

• McGavock faculty member Carlos Smith expanding his knowledge through the university’s graduate program;

• MTSU providing equipment, including an airplane, for the students to use in training; and

• MTSU professor Wendy Beckman offering a large amount of passion for the educational pursuits of young people. McGavock students, faculty and staff welcome her personable, hands-on, professional style.

“MTSU has donated a lot of time and materials,” said Paula Barkley, who serves as coach for the Academies of Nashville programs at McGavock. “We’ve had really great business partners and MTSU is one of them.”

For more on the aerospace program, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/aerospace/.

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

Bound for MTSU as a freshman in August, McGavock High School senior Chris Hodnicak tries his hand at flying (and landing) a helicopter on a simulator in the school’s aviation flight area. He plans to study aerospace administration.