WHAT’S INSIDE

A Word from the Chair 2

Mechanical Engineering Is for You 3
Why Tennessee Tech Is the Top Choice 4
Learn About the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering 5
Explore the Mechatronics Concentration 7
Drive Your Career with the Vehicle Engineering Concentration 9
Companies That Hire Tech’s Mechanical Engineering Graduates 10
Get Involved with Diverse Student Organizations 11
Making a Difference – Mechanical Engineering in Action 13
Mastering Senior Design Projects 15
Electric Vehicle Research Helps Rural Areas 17
Hear from Mechanical Engineering Students 19
Planning Underway for New Engineering Building 20
Distinguished Alumni on External Advisory Board 21
Thank You to Alum Ray Sells 22
A WORD FROM THE CHAIR
W  elcome to the mechanical engineering (ME) department, and I am happy that you have chosen to find out more
about our degree programs. Choosing the right school for you is a very important decision, and I hope this booklet
helps you in that process. I firmly believe that you will not find a higher quality, more affordable program than what ME at
Tennessee Tech University offers.

A LIT TLE ABOUT MECHANIC AL ENGINEERING

• We are the largest academic department at Tennessee • You’ll gain even more experience in student
Tech, with about 750 undergraduate students, plus organizations, a few of which are featured later.
about 70 graduate students pursuing master’s or • Many ME majors take advantage of co-op and
doctoral degrees. internship opportunities, gaining work experience
• Our focus on hands-on student learning experiences and making career connections leading to a job after
is unique among many ME programs. We believe graduation.
students should not only know how to design solutions, • Our students have opportunities for research through
but also how to build what they design. This makes the ME department, the Center for Manufacturing
our graduates highly sought after by employers and Research, and the Center for Energy Systems Research,
graduate degree programs alike. among others.
• Our faculty members are known as experts in a wide
range of interest areas, and many also have valuable
industry experience.

Our mission is to prepare you for a productive career, and we are very proud that almost 100% of our graduates find
employment or begin a graduate degree program within a few months after graduation. Our faculty and staff work hard to
make sure our students succeed; and employers appreciate the experience, skills, work ethic, and professionalism of our
graduates.

I invite you to explore ME’s website at tntech.edu/me. If you haven’t already, we welcome you to schedule a campus visit
to learn more about the programs and take a tour of the ME department. All of us in Mechanical Engineering wish you a
very bright future. We hope to see YOU in ME!

Sincerely,
Mohan D. Rao
Professor and Department Chair
2
 MECHANICAL ENGINEERING IS FOR YOU
• As a mechanical engineer, you’ll be among the most • Mechanical engineering is a great career choice! You
versatile of all engineers, with career options in can design products and processes that can make life
an almost endless list of industries, agencies and safer and better for everyone, and earn a great salary
organizations. at the same time. According to the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics,* entry-level mechanical engineers can
• If you enjoy knowing how things are made and work,
expect to earn between $57,130 to $70,280 per year.
then you’ll love the hands-on learning experiences in
The average annual salary for all mechanical engineers
our project courses. You’ll not only know how to design
in the U.S. is $93,400,* based on online 2019 data; the
solutions the world needs, you’ll be building them here
most current available at printing.
in our workshops and laboratories.
• Tennessee Tech’s Bachelor of Science in mechanical
• Our faculty are here to help! We ensure that they are
engineering degree is accredited by the Engineering
accessible, friendly and focused on your success. Our
Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://abet.org
faculty members are known experts in their respective
fields, and many have valuable industry experience,
both of which can help you discover the right career
path for you.

3
WHY TENNESSEE TECH IS THE TOP CHOICE
• Tennessee Tech is the perfect size. With a total • Tech grads also have the highest early career salaries of
population of about 10,000 students, students will find all Tennessee public universities, according to PayScale.
smaller class sizes and more personal attention from
• The university is annually ranked as one of the top
faculty on this close-knit campus.
ranked universities in the nation, and Tech’s College of
• Tech’s Center for Career Development helps current Engineering has repeatedly earned a spot as one of the
students take advantage of many co-op and internships “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs,” according
opportunities, as well as hosting huge engineering to U.S. News & World Report.
and STEM career fairs each year, which help most
• Not only is Tech affordable, its hometown of Cookeville
mechanical engineering students find employment
has been voted as the #1 greatest affordable college
before they graduate. They’ll also help students find a
town in the country by Great Value Colleges.
job after graduation as well.
• Tech grads leave with the least amount of debt of any
public university in Tennessee, and 49% graduate debt
free, according to U.S. News & World Report.

4
 LEARN ABOUT THE BACHELOR
OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING
R  eady for anything! Because mechanical engineers are
so versatile, this degree helps prepare students to
meet the needs of an evolving technological, solution-
energy-based society. Mechanical engineers work
in many areas, such as governmental agencies and
laboratories, manufacturing facilities, power and energy
driven world. It encompasses meeting the needs of production, consulting firms and universities. Almost
the design and analysis of machines and processes to everyone needs a good mechanical engineer or a team
meet the expanding needs of a changing, technological, of them.

PROGR AM HIGHLIGHTS
• Prepare to succeed in smaller classes taught by dedicated and expert faculty who are committed to helping
students.
• Discover many networking and co-op opportunities that can help students land a great job through the
university’s many partnerships with local, state and regional companies.
• Select from a wide variety of electives that allow students to focus on what they are interested in and
personalize their degree experience. Our area of emphasis courses let students study what they want to know!

C AREER OPTIONS
As a mechanical engineering student, versatility will pay off! Students will be ready for careers in
many fields, such as:

• Acoustics and Vibrations • Energy Conservation and Harvesting

• Aerospace • Ergonomics
• Appliances • HVAC
• Biotechnology / Medical Devices / Prosthetics • Oil and Gas Industries
• Design and Manufacturing • Thermal Science and Fluid Mechanics

5
 EXPLORE THE MECHATRONICS
CONCENTRATION

R  obotics is a booming industry! Mechatronics is the interdisciplinary field of engineering that deals with the
design of products whose function relies on the integration of mechanical, electrical and electronic components
connected by a control scheme. Mechatronics is a vital component in modern product design and advanced
manufacturing, and these skills are in high demand with employers!

PROGR AM HIGHLIGHTS
• Understand the role of mechatronics in product design and manufacturing.
• Obtain and integrate knowledge from various engineering disciplines to achieve a successful solution to
complex technical problems.
• Analyze and design mechanical and electrical subsystems that make up a mechatronic system.
• Engage in a complex project, and perform effectively as team members within an interdisciplinary group.
• Perform multiple levels of data acquisition with signal conditioning.
• Understand the basic architecture of common commercial microcontrollers and develop embedded-control
products with these.
• Learn about a wide variety of sensors and actuators and design manufacturing or products based on these.
• Gain experience creating an engineering system that integrates multiple sensors and actuators, and provides
supervisory autonomous control through an embedded microcontroller unit.

C AREER OP TIONS
Employers are actively seeking graduates with mechatronics skills, and students from Tennessee Tech
will be ready to fill that need. Careers include:

• Automation • Robotics
• Data Science • Mechanical Design
• Control System Design • Instrumentation
• Electronics Design • Software Engineering

7
 DRIVE YOUR CAREER WITH THE
VEHICLE ENGINEERING
CONCENTRATION

V  ehicle engineering is more than just automotive

engineering! The concepts and technologies in vehicle
engineering are applied to all modes of transportation,
Tennessee Tech’s new vehicle engineering concentration
is a unique combination of mechanical, electrical and
computer engineering. Students will be prepared to be a
from golf carts to race cars to spaceships and everything leader in the automotive and vehicle industries and build
in between. Vehicle engineering covers a wide range of the next generation of innovative vehicles. Plus, students
vehicular types, including traditional combustion engines, design innovative vehicle products and work in well-
but also hybrid and electric vehicles, automated and equipped lab facilities. Students will also enjoy engaging
connected vehicles, and subsystems of those like engines, with cutting-edge technologies while gaining valuable
after-treatment systems, transmissions, batteries, electric experience that will make them stand out in employers’
and control systems. eyes when they graduate.

Be ready to stand out with this concentration. As the only

undergraduate degree program of its kind in the region,

PROGR AM HIGHLIGHTS
• Discover a wide array of networking and co-op opportunities that can help students land a great job after graduation
through Tennessee Tech’s many partnerships with local, state and regional companies in various vehicle industries.
• Learn state-of-the-art automotive technologies being used in autonomous vehicles, electric vehicle technologies, and
learn about the operating principles of these and other vehicle systems.
• Help transform a regular human-driven, electric vehicle to one with increased levels of autonomy while completing
the degree program.
• Gain additional, valuable hands-on experience while having fun participating in Tech’s award-winning student
organizations such as Baja SAE, Formula SAE, the Autonomous Robotics Club and more.

9
C AREER OP TIONS
Be ready to succeed! Tennessee Tech’s vehicle engineering concentration prepares students to join the next generation of
engineers, ready to meet the huge demand for research, design, development and manufacturing skills in advanced and
autonomous vehicles. Students are primed to help companies cultivate and create innovations that could improve traffic
efficiency, energy efficiency, air quality and more, plus making us all safer at the same time.

The growth and revolutionary diversity in the vehicle industry right now is expected to drive more change in the global
market in the next 10 years than during the previous 50 years. The autonomous vehicle revolution is already underway,
and the demand is increasing every day for the skills Tech students learn in this program. Tennessee and the entire
Southeast region are the new hub for automotive manufacturing, and Tech developed this degree program based on input
from top industry partners who need employees that are ready to help shape the future of the industry.

C AREER S INCLUDE:
• Automotive Technology • Product Design
• Autonomous Vehicle Systems • Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Design

COMPANIES THAT HIRE TECH’S MECHANIC AL ENGINEERING GR ADUATES

• Boeing • Honda • Penske Racing
• Bridgestone/Firestone • John Deere • Proctor & Gamble
• Caterpillar • Lockheed Martin • Tesla
• Cummins • NASA • TRANE Technologies
• DENSO • Nissan • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• General Electric • Oak Ridge National Laboratory • Volkswagen
• General Motors (GM) • Oshkosh Corporation
10
GET INVOLVED WITH
DIVERSE STUDENT
ORGANIZATIONS
AUTONOMOUS ROBOTICS CLUB
Love robots? The Autonomous Robotics Club is a
student group dedicated to the hardware and software
of robots. Students have an opportunity to work with
other club members on designated projects or their own.

SOCIETY OF WOMEN
ENGINEERS
The Society of Women Engineers is a global non-profit
educational and service organization promoting the
field of engineering for women. Tech’s student chapter
goal is to support engineering students by facilitating
connections and helping them build an academic and
social network among peers.

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF
MECHANICAL ENGINEERS
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers student
chapter at Tennessee Tech meets throughout the
semester on designated Thursdays. These students
gain skills and practical experience outside the
classroom along with networking opportunities with
professional engineers.
BAJA SAE TEAM
Baja SAE is a competition club that challenges
students to work as a team in the designing,
building, testing and competing of an off-road
vehicle that is capable of negotiating rough terrain.
Baja team members meet weekly during the
semester in Brown Hall. This is a university-wide
club, and all majors are welcome. Tech even hosts
competition events in Cookeville.

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF
HEATING, REFRIGERATION
AND AIR-CONDITIONING
ENGINEERS
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating
and Air-Conditioning Engineers student chapter at
Tennessee Tech meets throughout the semester.
These students have opportunities to participate
in local branch activities like site visits, are eligible
for scholarships and have access to engineering
professionals in the HVAC field.

PI TAU SIGMA
Pi Tau Sigma is an international honor society
for mechanical engineers. These members are
chosen on a basis of sound engineering ability,
service, leadership and integrity. They begin the
selection of new inductees who meet the criteria
for membership at the beginning of the fall and
spring semesters.
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 MAKING A DIFFERENCE – MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING IN ACTION

W  hen ME majors enroll in Dr. Stephen Canfield’s

Dynamics of Machinery class, they know they will be
completing a project; but they usually aren’t sure what that
are very important to the development and growth of these
children. Plus, the students find great reward in helping
the families on the projects. I can see it in the amount
will entail. Still, they all quickly learn that whatever project of time they spend on the project and attention to detail
it is, that their work will have a profound impact on a family in fabricating and delivering the results. I know it’s a big
in the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee. challenge for the students, but it’s part of their learning
as an engineer to take on the technical details and all the
The Early Intervention and Mechanical Engineering (EIME) details of the family.”
Project employed in this course provides innovative,
engineered products to children with special needs and In ME, we want our students to see how their skills and
their schools and families while offering valuable, real- knowledge can make a critical, positive difference in
world design experience to the mechanical engineering someone else’s life. Their own words say it all. The two
students enrolled each semester. Students are assigned following quotes are from students who recently created a
to teams; and each team works with a family to develop, custom-made hybrid spinal support to help Miracle, a little
design, and build a custom-engineered solution to help girl with cerebral palsy.
with mobility, feeding, development, play, transportation
and other needs the child may have. At the end of the “I am so appreciative. It is astounding and life-changing
semester, the projects are delivered to the children and to see how this affects her life,” said team member Megan
families and any final adjustments are often done on site to Wesemann. “This is what I want to do for my life. I want to
ensure the device is the best it can be. The families’ lives design different products for people with disabilities and
are changed for the better, and the lessons the students help them be their best.”
take away are impactful.
“My mom is in the medical field, so helping people is
“These projects are exemplary, but not unusual, something I’ve always wanted to do,” echoed Shelby
demonstrations of the skills and capabilities of our Kilgore. “It’s cool to see it going from the designer style of
engineering students,” said Canfield. “There were 17 similar it, and then actually seeing it help a kid, is crazy. I like it a
projects in the EIME program this past semester alone lot.”
to help children and families in our Upper Cumberland
region. These students bring creativity, skill, energy and As just another example, a team built and installed a
caring to help these families. These projects also provide sensory swing in the home of Aiden, the two-and-a-half-
assistive solutions for special children and families that year-old son of a Tech alum who studied occupational
simply would not be available otherwise. These projects therapy and graduated in 2017. Like so many, the mom and
13
son had an especially rough 2020. In February, she found different aspects of the project before ever thinking we
out that Aiden was autistic. A few weeks later, they lost were going to build a swing,” said teammate John Wagner.
everything, including all of Aiden’s therapeutic items, in a “The mother requested a swing, but we weren’t 100% sure
deadly tornado that slashed through Putnam County. how to go about it. Seeing the mom’s and Aiden’s reactions
in the end made it all worth it.”
When the students found out that one thing Aiden really
needed was to have a sensory swing, the students went to “It was good to finally get to do a hands-on project than
work. Then after months of meeting, planning, creating, just working on paper for the past two years,” said Gabriel
modifying and tweaking, the sensory swing was finally DaSilva, another team member. “It was very unique. The
complete and ready to be delivered. When Aiden saw the whole process — collaborating with my team members and
swing, he yelled “swing,” ran over to it and climbed inside. getting our design on paper and doing the math and the
Everyone in the room smiled and held back tears, knowing calculations and actually building it in the shop and seeing
the sensory swing project was a success. it come together piece by piece — was really cool.”

“Knowing that they had lost so much during the tornado It’s one thing to complete a school project for a grade. It’s
and that their house was completely destroyed and we something totally different to complete a project that can
would be invading their privacy, and with Aiden’s personal change a person’s life. Let ME show YOU how!
challenges he may not take to us, we had to consider
14
 MASTERING SENIOR
DESIGN PROJECTS
AT  Tennessee Tech, students will learn not only how
to design solutions, but also have experience
building the solutions. This hands-on experience makes
for the solution of engineering problems. Students work in
a team environment on selected mechanical engineering
projects emphasizing both mechanical systems and
students become better engineers. Yet another way Tech’s thermal science design aspects. Important parts of the
Mechanical Engineering department incorporates this two-semester design projects include a formal project
learning experience is in two senior capstone design project proposal, design analysis report, engineering drawings,
courses, which all students take. Students select projects project construction and project testing. Formal written and
and begin making progress in Mechanical Engineering oral presentations about the projects’ results are made at
4410, where they start the development phase by creating the completion of the project. Time scheduling and project
the preliminary design, supporting analysis for the design costs are also important considerations.
and drawings with a list of needed supplies and associated
costs for the project. In Mechanical Engineering 4420, the Mechanical engineering students at Tennessee Tech
student teams continue with the design build, prototyping have access to leading-edge laboratories, which are
and testing phases to complete the project. well outfitted with the latest equipment, hardware and
software. Undergraduate students in the senior capstone
As part of the courses and lab, students are provided with design courses use these labs to help gain valuable,
experience in the use of mechanical engineering design hands-on experience as they complete their projects over

UPON COMPLETION OF THIS CL A SS, STUDENTS WILL HAV E:

• Engaged in the various elements of the engineering • Determined the potential impact of ethical and societal
design process. concerns on the engineer and engineering design
process.
• Completed a group-based, hands-on, capstone design
project. • Prepared and delivered and/or submitted a written
report and an oral presentation.
• Employed basic computer-based data acquisition.
• Communicated with a variety of non-academic
• Used programmable logic controllers and ladder-based contacts, such as technicians, vendors and other
programming. professionals for the purpose of gaining factual
• Worked in a team environment on an engineering information and making component purchases.
design project.

15
the course of two semesters. This is precisely the kind of skin. Tech students were seeking to mimic what the
experience that many of the top companies in the nation excess fluid would feel like under skin to help healthcare
are looking for in new employees, helping to make Tech professionals learn to assess and diagnose this condition
graduates more competitive in the job market. without always requiring a human patient be present.

Senior design projects can also help students discover Another project explored ways to improve IV poles, to make
new career options. Many mechanical engineering them just as stable, but less of a trip hazard for patients
students may not initially think of the medical device field and medical staff. Other projects included a mechanism to
as a career opportunity, but some recent senior design help simulate skin-to-skin contact between very premature
capstone projects are helping to change that. Several of infants and their mothers. The design simulates the
the recent projects that student teams tackled involved feeling of contact through heating a specific material to a
medical-related designs. Some students worked on ways designated temperature, playing the sound of the mother’s
to mechanically simulate edema, a condition where fluids heartbeat and gently lifting and lowering to simulate the
build up under skin and other tissues. Typically, edema mother’s breathing as she holds the child. Innovations in
training requires applying gentle pressure to the patient’s healthcare benefit everyone, and projects like these help
inspire students.
16
 ELECTRIC VEHICLE RESEARCH
HELPS RURAL AREAS
E  lectric vehicles are changing the automotive
landscape, and Tennessee Tech is leading the way!
Tech is conducting a unique research project focusing on
one plug-in light-duty truck, and one battery electric transit
bus along with a charging station network.

electric vehicles (EVs) in rural communities in the Upper “This is a team project and the DOE is supporting us with a
Cumberland, and the U.S. Department of Energy is funding significant amount of money,” said Chen. “We are going to
this research. use these resources to develop complete charging stations
in a charging station network open to the public.”
The DOE has approved $779,823 for the project “Developing
an EV Demonstration Testbed in the Upper Cumberland The project objectives are to address the challenges of
Region of Tennessee, an Economy Distressed Rural Region.” adopting electric vehicles into rural regions. The proposal
The study, which is the first of its kind, is to develop a rural integrates EV demonstration into the newly-formed vehicle
EV testbed to demonstrate and evaluate electric vehicles engineering program at Tech. This degree program educates
over a diverse range of activities serving a rural and largely engineers to use the latest technologies to design and
economically distressed part of Tennessee. Previous manufacture modern vehicles, including electric ones.
research has been based solely on urban and suburban use
of electric vehicles. “We try to give our rural communities more experience with
electric vehicles to understand the advantages of using
“We are one of the first to implement electric vehicles in EVs,” said Chen. “But with almost no charging stations in
a rural community,” said Pingen Chen, an assistant ME rural areas, this currently limits the use of election vehicles.
professor. “In many rural areas, there are no charging It’s the same situation in other rural areas in the United
stations. It prevents our rural communities from using States.”
electric vehicles. Our study will study how many charging
stations are needed in rural areas, including the Upper The charging stations were part of the first project phase
Cumberland.” in 2020. The second phase in 2021 and 2022 includes
electric vehicle demonstrations, data analysis, information
Besides Tech, other research partners include the University exchanges, and outreach and education activities. The
of Texas at Austin, Nissan North America, Lightning project wraps up in 2022 with the deployment of five
Systems, East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition, Seven vehicles to different fleets, along with meetings with the
States Power Corporation, ChargePoint and the Upper public and private fleet partners, government agencies and
Cumberland Human Resource Agency. The project’s total the local communities.
budget is $1,559,686 with the DOE funding almost half
and the rest coming from the project team. The research
includes a small electric vehicle fleet of three Nissan Leafs, Want to study EV technology? Learn more about the
Vehicle Engineering concentration on page 9.

17
 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT – LEANNE TURPIN
First-generation mechanical engineering student Leanne Turpin is a rising
senior from Decherd, Tennessee. In addition to her active role in the student
chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Turpin also won
an Engineering, Computing and Technology Spectrum Award in 2019.
The spectrum awards recognize a diverse body of students across all
the degree-granting departments in the college of engineering for their
initiatives and achievements in educational (projects related to course
work), research (projects relevant to their discipline) and professional
development activities (internship, co-op, or summer job).

Turpin’s love of Tech is what led her to come here, as she said, “I fell
in love with Tennessee Tech when I attended a STEM camp as a sixth
grader. I am living out my dream of being a Golden Eagle, and this
experience has already surpassed all of my expectations. My favorite
part of the program so far is getting the opportunity to work in the
mechanical engineering workshop because of all the hands-on
machining and fabricating skills I’m developing.”

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT - HENRY PACE

Henry Pace enjoys his role as a resident assistant in the residence
halls and his studies as a senior mechanical engineering major.
“What’s not to like about Tennessee Tech?! I looked at other
schools, but I know I made the right choice coming to
Tennessee Tech. It’s a great school – the perfect size, with
a great engineering reputation, and there’s lots of things to
do on campus and off. I really like the community feeling
we have, and I’ve made some great friends on campus and
in Cookeville. Plus, it’s affordable to go to school here, so
I won’t have to graduate owing a ton of money in student
loans. I plan to go on to get my master’s after I graduate,
and this program is preparing me for that next step.”

19
PLANNING UNDERWAY FOR NEW
ENGINEERING BUILDING
IN  Fall 2020, Tennessee Tech unveiled the preliminary designs for the new engineering building seen here. The current
plan is to break ground on the site in Sherlock Park in 2021, with the completion of this innovative learning space
expected in late 2023.

The new facility will be a fusion of innovation along with the historic Georgian style of campus buildings, featuring
something for all of Tech’s engineering disciplines to promote cross-disciplinary functions. Along with the main building,
there will be a student lab building for groups like mechanical engineering’s championship Baja SAE team, as well as the
award-winning Formula SAE team, a state-of-the-art autonomous electric vehicle platform, and machine shops for student
projects, faculty and student research and more. The new building project will also include a unique water feature, dubbed
Sherlock Lake, which will add to the visual appeal of campus and also serve as an outdoor classroom for students studying
environmental engineering.

An architectural rendering of the new engineering building coming to Tennessee Tech’s campus. The site will also include a body of water that will be used as an environmental classroom.

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 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI ON
EXTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD

Front row (L-R): Mohan Rao - ME Chair, Arnold Lumsdaine - Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Keith Kirkpatrick - McHale & Associates, and Jon Callies - DENSO. Middle row (L-R): Jie Cui, ME Associate Chair,
Lito Mendoza – Cummins Filtration, David Nesbitt – Retubeco, Inc., Navya Raghoji – Nissan, and Scott Bartlett – Arnold Air Force Base. Back row (L-R): Robert Wiseman – Lochinvar LLC, Brad Long – Cummins
Filtration, and Mike Clemmer - Nissan. Those not available for the photo include David Ballard – Turner Construction Co., Christina Bechard-Walker – ITW, Amy Elliott – Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Jared
Moore – Eastman Chemical Company, Karen Ramsey-Idem – Cummins Global, Esra Roan – Somavac Medical, and Scott Smith – University of North Carolina.

T  ech’s ME graduates enjoy very successful careers, and

many become leaders in their respective industries.
Some of our most outstanding ME alumni are asked to
invaluable insight and input into our academic programs
and help us make sure our grads are ready for careers in a
wide variety of fields. We deeply appreciate the time and
serve as members on the Mechanical Engineering External effort these alumni give in service to our department.
Advisory Board. These industry professionals provide

21
THANK YOU TO
ALUM RAY SELLS
H  arold Ray Sells (’57 mechanical engineering)
made his first gift to Tennessee Tech in
1983 and since then, has become one of the
Department of Mechanical Engineering’s most
generous supporters. From scholarships to
classroom renovations, his philanthropy has
impacted generations of engineering majors and
faculty.

In 2008, Sells and his late wife Doris established

the Ray and Doris Sells Family Mechanical
Engineering Program Development Endowment
to support the Mechanical Engineering
Department. Then in 2016, in appreciation
for the Sells’ generosity and belief in lifelong
learning, Mechanical Engineering named a newly-
renovated, high-tech classroom in Brown Hall in
their honor. The Ray and Doris Sells Multimedia
Classroom will have a lasting impact on the
faculty and students who are fortunate enough to
utilize the space.

Through his philanthropy, Sells says he hopes

to enhance the quality of training mechanical
engineering students receive, provide better
classrooms and equipment, assist faculty and set
an example for others.

Ray Sells is indeed paying it forward, and we are deeply grateful

for his generous support. He has graciously donated the funds to
produce this brochure, hoping to encourage the next generation of
engineers to attend his beloved alma mater.

22
 GET ON THE FAST TRACK TO AN ADVANCED DEGREE!

THE MECHANIC AL ENGINEERING FA ST TR ACK PROGR AM C AN HELP YOU GET

A MA STER’S DEGREE IN LESS TIME.
Qualified undergraduate students with at least a 3.5 GPA can earn six graduate credit hours that satisfy both undergraduate
and graduate degree requirements, so you’ll get a serious head start on that master’s degree. You’ll enjoy unique
opportunities to get hands-on research experience working with graduate students and faculty. As a Fast Track student,
you’ll have a better chance of getting into a graduate degree program as soon as you complete your bachelor’s degree.

TENNESSEE TECH UNIV ER SIT Y - DEPARTMENT OF MECHANIC AL ENGINEERING

tntech.edu/me
Mailing Address: Street Address: Contact: Office Hours:
Tennessee Tech University 115 W. 10th Street Phone: (931) 372-3254 Monday-Friday
Mechanical Engineering Department Cookeville, TN 38505 Fax: (931) 372-6340 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST
Campus Box 5014 Brown Hall, Room 224 Email: me@tntech.edu
Cookeville, TN 38505-0001
Tennessee Tech does not condone and will not tolerate discrimination against any individual on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, sex, age, national origin, genetic information, disability, veteran status, and any other basis protected by federal and state civil rights law. Tennessee Tech complies with Title IX
and prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities, admissions or employment. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action may be referred to the Director of Affirmative Action, Derryberry Hall 156, Box 5132, Cookeville, TN 38505-0001, 931-372-3069, equity@
tntech.edu. Inquiries regarding Title IX may be referred to Tennessee Tech’s Title IX Coordinator, Derryberry Hall 256, 931-372-3112, TitlelX@tntech.edu, or to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, 800-421-8339, OCR@ed.gov. Publication CENGD343-PRNT-21