TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Brig. Gen. Brian Moore, commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, Jeanie Webb, president of Rose State College, and Col. Abigail Ruscetta, commander of the 72nd Air Base Wing, participated in a ceremonial signing event Jan. 17 to celebrate the Educational Partnership Agreement among their three respective organizations.
The partnership solidifies a mutually beneficial relationship between Rose State College and Tinker Air Force Base.
“We’ve got 9,000 folks here doing Maintenance Repair & Overhaul, and in this [partnership] we’re really focused on advanced manufacturing,” Moore said. “We’re able to come into this partnership with Rose State and work that advanced manufacturing piece together in conjunction with the students to research, and ultimately produce, combat-ready airpower for our nation’s defense.”
The EPA offers opportunities for Rose State to receive, on loan or by donation, surplus OC-ALC scientific equipment that can be used for STEM education. One example is a Binder Jetting 3D Printing machine donated to Rose State by the OC-ALC for educational purposes.
“There’s a workforce development aspect of [this agreement] that directly translates educating the students to them potentially making that transition over to this workforce in an advanced manufacturing setting, which is new emerging technology,” Moore said. “We are working the research piece with the university and then translating that to production over here in the depot.”
As the largest single-site employer in the state of Oklahoma, the OC-ALC represents a huge number of career opportunities for STEM students. Rose State students, through the EPA, have access to internships and sabbatical opportunities, student engagements such as career mentoring and guest speaking engagements.
To learn more about the OC-ALC, visit https://www.tinker.af.mil/About-Tinker/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/384764/oklahoma-city-air-logistics-complex/