In an effort to make more engineers and potentially keep them in Michigan, the U-M’s College of Engineering has entered into a unique collaboration with the West Michigan Aviation Academy, a charter high school in Grand Rapids.
Through the agreement, students at the high school will have access to a deeper engineering curriculum and a clearer path to the state’s flagship university.
Initially geared toward students who want to learn how to build or fly airplanes, the West Michigan Aviation Academy opened in 2010 on the grounds of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. It pulls from 40 diverse districts and selects students by lottery for its 600 spots. The school graduated its first seniors in 2014 and it’s in the process of broadening its engineering offerings. Through the new partnership, U-M faculty and staff will help steer that effort.
