WCCCD Chancellor Dr. Curtis L. Ivery Receives Rainbow Push Coalition Benchmark Award for Higher Education Leadership, Innovative Mechatronics Program

Wayne County Community College District Chancellor Dr. Curtis L. Ivery was awarded the Benchmark Award from Rainbow PUSH Coalition for his strong leadership in higher education and for establishing an innovative Mechatronics program.

The award was announced during the 2022 Rainbow PUSH Global Automotive Summit held November 14-15 in Detroit. Chancellor Ivery has led a focus and expansion of in-demand workforce development and stackable certificate programs at WCCCD across various industries, including mechatronics and robotics, advanced manufacturing, CDL and truck driving, cybersecurity, health sciences, and more. “I am proud to accept this award on behalf of my team and our partners in this innovative and important program,” said Chancellor Ivery. “Our mission has always been to provide pathways to better lives through higher education.

This vital collaboration and program really showcases the importance of our connections and relationships in the greater community to create opportunity that allows our entire region to thrive.” The Mechatronics program, anticipated to launch in the second quarter of 2023 at the District’s Eastern Campus, was the result of an innovative collaboration with Stellantis North America, including more than $10 million in donated robotics equipment from Stellantis, COMAU, and other Tier 1 suppliers to create training for job opportunities in the automotive industry.

An additional $10 million will be invested by WCCCD for infrastructure and staffing to support the program. Stellantis North America also received its second Benchmark Award from Rainbow PUSH Coalition for the workforce training program at WCCCD. The Rainbow PUSH Benchmark Award recognizes organizations, businesses and individuals who create opportunities “through innovative methodologies and unsolicited management strategies,” according to the organization.

Under Ivery’s tenure, WCCCD grew to be the largest urban community college district in the state of Michigan provides more than 120 career and academic programs to its students and is a regional leader in workforce development and healthcare fields. Ivery has assembled academic, community, business, and government leaders across a series of roundtables and conferences to develop strategies to expand educational equity and economic mobility in our region, and throughout the nation.