Thursday, April 16, 2015

Engineering Mentorship Dinner and Panel Discussion to Honor Dr. Fred McConnell



For classmates Wilbur Hogge and Mark Wood, the opportunity to celebrate a much-beloved professor also gave them a chance to see one another after nearly 20 years. The two were among the alumni who attended the recent Engineering Mentorship Dinner and Panel Discussion to Honor Dr. Fred McConnell.

Wilbur Hogge and Mark Wood

The event, held on the Parham Road Campus, brought Engineering and Civil Engineering Technology graduates back to their alma mater and gave current Engineering students the chance to absorb school and career advice from alumni working in the field. “This was created as a mentorship event because Dr. McConnell was such an influence in the lives of his students,” explained Marianne McGhee, director of development. “He was a treasured advisor, and alumni shared the best stories about his going above and beyond to help them. It was fitting to honor his legacy by bringing back his former students and inviting them to share some of their wisdom with current students.”  

A panel discussion with Ray Burton, Dean of the School of Mathematics, Science & Engineering, and alumni Gianna Clark, John Lewis, and Bill Via was a trip down memory lane for some attendees and a glimpse into the workforce future for others. All of it was dedicated to Dr. Fred McConnell, Professor Emeritus, and a true engineer of student success at Reynolds Community College.   

The McConnell Engineering Scholarship was established in 2005 by alumnus William F. “Bill” Via, Class of 1974. If you would like to help continue Dr. McConnell’s great work of getting outstanding engineers started, please consider a donation to his scholarship: www.reynolds.edu/givenow