Tuskegee University leaders met with executives from American Samkwang, Inc. on Mar. 16 to discuss ways to prepare students for careers in engineering and management at the company’s new manufacturing facility in Macon County.
The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between the university and Samkwang, a company that operates manufacturing facilities in South Korea, Vietnam, Mexico, and the United States. The goal is to ensure students are equipped with skills needed by industry employers before graduation.
Jinwoo Kim, president and CEO of Samkwang – American Samkwang, Inc., said, “This is my third visit to Tuskegee. Each time I grow more attached. I look forward to finding ways for our relationship to grow and to recruit capable students in the future.” Kim highlighted the need for students skilled in mechanical and electrical engineering as well as business backgrounds for managing procurement and supply-chain issues.
Dr. Van Sapp, Vice President for External Affairs at Tuskegee University, responded by saying, “The students you are looking for, we have them right here,” referencing both the College of Engineering and the College of Business and Information Science as sources of workforce-ready graduates. The discussion also included potential co-op opportunities during the academic year. Dr. Olga Bolden-Tiller, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, said, “Co-ops provide an opportunity for faculty, all seasoned professionals, to support the students in real time, to quickly problem-solve with students, and to support their success on the job.”
The group toured Samkwang’s recently opened 170,000-square-foot facility on Wire Road in Macon County. Dr. Thierno Thiam, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Tuskegee University said: “As we move forward in the Tuskegee Renaissance era, we are embracing a culture that says our curriculum must be aligned with market trends.” He added: “Samkwang, because of its proximity to Tuskegee University, offers our students a hands‑on experience that increases their marketability.” Dr. Thiam and Kim signed a Memorandum of Understanding formalizing plans for further partnership.
“Our talented students, and the faculty here to support them, are ready to make a measurable impact on the productivity at the Samkwang facility in Macon County and to support their operations around the world — we are creating global citizens at Tuskegee,” Dr. Thiam said.
