Hytrol Conveyor to Endow Scholarship in College of Engineering
JONESBORO – One of Northeast Arkansas's largest manufacturing companies, Hytrol Conveyor Company, Inc., is announcing a leadership commitment of $200,000 to the College of Engineering at Arkansas State University.
The endowment is designated for scholarships to assist talented engineering majors.
Chris Glenn, vice president of manufacturing and engineering operations, explained the company's motivation for making the major commitment to A-State, with which the company has had a long-time working relationship.
"We are looking to invest in our future as well as invest in the future for Arkansas State and its students," Glenn explained. "Over half of our engineers are Arkansas State graduates."
Hytrol, which designs and manufactures advanced conveyor systems and controls, has a global presence. The company serves customers throughout North America and other points worldwide.
"Our headquarters is here in Jonesboro," Glenn continued, emphasizing the company's positive impact on the region. "We have over 830 employees here."
Dr. Paul Mixon, interim dean of the College of Engineering, also pointed out the value of the close relationship between the Jonesboro-based international company and the university.
"We believe Hytrol employs more graduates from the College of Engineering than any other single private employer," he explained. A-State's goal is to increase the number of engineering graduates by 25 percent over the next 10 years to help meet employers' needs in the Mid-South region.
Phillip Poston, director of communications for Hytrol, commented on the positive impact of the College of Engineering's proximity on the company's recruiting.
"It's a huge advantage to us, and it's actually an advantage to the students because they have a better opportunity to come out and do an internship," Poston explained. "They don't have to wait until the summer. They can come do an internship during the fall or the spring semester, work here with us, and be integrated into our group and be a part of the team."
Expressing the university's appreciation to the company, Mixon commended Hytrol not only for being " . . . a great champion of our programs," but for "actively encouraging other industry to support the university's programs as strongly as possible. We are very grateful for that."
The Hytrol Endowed Scholarship in Engineering will provide a full-tuition scholarship each year to a mechanical or electrical engineering major.
Touching on the broader impact of a scholarship endowment program, Poston added, " . . . we want to invest in the future of those employees because we know they're going to invest back into the community and into the world."
The endowment gift is very significant, Mixon emphasized. "We believe it is absolutely a game changer for a young engineering student, and it will be a great benefit not only to Arkansas State University but particularly for our College of Engineering."
# # #
