First Graduate Degree Recipients Among Class of 2005

Tri-State University’s 121^st commencement ceremonies, set for Saturday, May 7, at 10 a.m. in Hershey Hall, will have 275 participants representing the Class of 2005. Two are making history. For the first time in university history, TSU will confer the Master of Science in Engineering Technology degree.

“This is a historic moment for the university,” stated TSU President Earl D. Brooks II. “As a full-fledged graduate institution, TSU joins a select group of institutions dedicated to advanced learning. We are excited about awarding our first master’s degrees, and I congratulate Gordon Cooper and Troy Neuenschwander for their accomplishment.”

As a part of the MSET curriculum, Cooper and Neuenschwander were required to complete a research project, integrating theory and coursework with practical application. The pair, both employed at Vestil Manufacturing Corp. (Angola, Ind.), designed a residential wheelchair lift adapted from an industrial scissors lift manufactured by Vestil.

“We already knew there was a market for residential use,” Neuenschwander said. “This lift will allow people access to their porch or front stoop without a long ramp.” The men worked on the project nearly a year, and Vestil already has orders for the new product.