BEMIDJI, Minn. (Feb. 3, 2010) — Lake Superior College in Duluth, Minn., has been accepted into the 360° Manufacturing and Applied Engineering Center of Excellence.

360° is a partnership between Bemidji State University and nine community and technical colleges throughout Minnesota. The goal of the center is to offer technical programs that prepare students for today’s technical world and global economy. The center also seeks to connect students to the industry and show students how the right education can help them make a smart career choice.

“We are really excited to have Lake Superior College join 360°,” said Karen White, director of the center. “Lake Superior College has a very high commitment to manufacturing education and will strengthen our ability to serve the education and workforce needs of this vital industry.”

“I want to thank the director’s council for acceptance into the 360° consortium,” said Tom Tonkin, dean of business and industry at Lake Superior College. “The partnership will be of mutual benefit to the consortium members and with the college’s manufacturing programs and manufacturing companies in the Duluth-Superior region.”

Lake Superior College brings a new geographic region to the consortium. The Center of Excellence has institutions in the Twin Cities and in southeast, northwest and central Minnesota, and with the addition of Lake Superior College has its first member in the northeastern portion of the state.

For more information about 360°, please contact Karen White at (218) 755-2208.

On the Web
• 360 Degrees: http://www.360mn.org

About 360 Degrees
360° Manufacturing and Applied Engineering Center of Excellence is a partnership of 10 institutions led by Bemidji State University which includes Central Lakes College, Lake Superior College, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Northland Community and Technical College, Northwest Technical College, Pine Technical College, Riverland Community College, Saint Paul College, and St. Cloud Technical College. 360° was initiated by the Governor of Minnesota to strengthen the state’s manufacturing economic sector and serve the needs of the industry by cultivating a potential future workforce through more flexible educational opportunities via the concept of the seamless career pathway.