DENSO North America Foundation awards grant to Fab Lab

Lake Michigan College has received a $28,900 grant from DENSO North America Foundation (DNAF) to support the Fab Lab's new Weekly Opportunity Workshop (WOW) series. DNAF is the philanthropic arm of DENSO, a leading mobility supplier with North American headquarters in Southfield, Mich.

The WOW series provides individuals of all ages with an opportunity to explore and develop advanced manufacturing techniques through hands-on experiences in the Fab Lab in the Hanson Technology Center on Lake Michigan College's Benton Harbor campus.

The series offers weekly one-to-three-day workshops covering a variety of topics. New workshops, including using power tools, train mechanics, virtual pinball building, 3D printer building, and learning to sew, will join more familiar offerings such as Fab Lab 101, pen making, and arcade building.

"Many K-12 manufacturing programs have been shuttered, so students just don't have access to this type of equipment and instruction," said Chad Dee, director of the Hanson Technology Center. "The WOW series provides children and young adults with access to manufacturing equipment they can no longer find in their schools."

The series utilizes Fab Lab equipment ranging from 3D printers to laser cutters to a wide range of computer software. It is also designed to expose participants to related careers in assembling, fabricating, and repairing scientific and engineering equipment.

The DNAF grant will cover scholarships for participants with financial needs. It also will be used to cover supply costs for 3D printer kits, arcade unit kits, pen-making lathes, and virtual pinball unit kits through the 2023 grant term.

"These funds allow us to expand and grow our programming by offering scholarship opportunities and covering supply costs for many new and current workshops," Dee said. "It also helps us to create a series of hands-on opportunities that combine education, creativity, and play for students, adults, and families throughout our community."

Founded in 2001, DNAF provides grants to North American colleges and universities to help advance their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programs, which are key to inspiring tomorrow’s leaders of technical fields. It also delivers disaster relief grants through the American Red Cross to aid persons and communities in which DENSO operates.

For more information about DNAF, visit www.densofoundation.org. For more information on the WOW series or to register for specific workshops, visit the Fab Lab website. For financial assistance for WOW series family workshops fill out an application.

About the Fab Lab

The Fab Lab is where participants can build science, technology, engineering, and math skills through hands-on learning. Participating in Fab Lab activities allows participants to explore and experiment with digital fabrication technology, including 3D printers, laser cutters, vinyl cutters, and more.

About DENSO

DENSO is a $44.6 billion global mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in its 200 facilities to produce thermal, powertrain, mobility, electrification, & electronic systems, to create jobs that directly change how the world moves. The company’s 168,000+ employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO spent 10.0 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021. For more information about global DENSO, visit DENSO's global website.

In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 27,000+ engineers, researchers and skilled workers across 51 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the United States alone, DENSO employs 17,700+ employees across 14 states (and the District of Columbia) and 41 sites. In fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, DENSO in North America generated $9.3 billion in consolidated sales. DENSO is committed to advancing diversity and inclusion inside the company and beyond – a principle that brings unique perspectives together, bolsters innovation and pushes DENSO forward. Join us, and craft not only how the world moves, but also your career. For more information, visit the DENSO careers website.