<description>&lt;p&gt;In this deeply insightful and inspiring episode of &lt;em&gt;The Thing About Cars&lt;/em&gt;, we welcome Dr. Bob McMahan, President of Kettering University—a revolutionary institution turning higher education on its head with a one-of-a-kind co-op model that combines rigorous academics with real-world engineering experience. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Mickey, Misty, Ben, and Tim explore how Kettering’s approach creates professionals with not just degrees but patents, leadership roles, and two and a half years of experience before they even graduate.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;From the school’s roots in Flint, Michigan’s auto industry explosion to its modern-day global partnerships and pioneering programs that uplift underserved youth and inspire young women in STEM, Dr. McMahan pulls back the curtain on a model of education that’s working—and thriving.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Also in this episode:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;The young woman who pivoted from French &amp;amp; sociology to suspension design wizardry&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;A Cadillac with fins big enough to throw shade on your garage&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Flint’s surprising renaissance, from water scandal to whitewater parks&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Why humanities matter even in a hardcore engineering environment&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;That time a physicist-art historian became a university president&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Plus:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;Kettering’s car culture is alive and well (and obsessed with vintage Cadillacs)&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Formula SAE, motorcycles, and the TR-6 that stole Bob’s heart&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Trivia: What do tetraethyl lead, R-12 refrigerant, and a tragic mechanical bed have in common?&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;🎓 Whether you’re a parent, a gearhead, or just someone who believes school should mean more than lectures and letter grades, this episode proves that education doesn’t have to be broken—it can just be reengineered.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;📍Learn more at &lt;a href="https://www.kettering.edu/" rel="nofollow"&gt;kettering.edu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;We welcome your support via &lt;a href="https://www.patreon.com/TheThingAboutCars" rel="nofollow"&gt;Patreon&lt;/a&gt; and your questions and feedback via our &lt;a href="http://thethingaboutcars.com/" rel="nofollow"&gt;website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The Thing About Cars

Mickey Desai

Building Engineers, Not Just Diplomas: Kettering’s Revolution with Dr. Bob McMahan

JUN 24, 202549 MIN
The Thing About Cars

Building Engineers, Not Just Diplomas: Kettering’s Revolution with Dr. Bob McMahan

JUN 24, 202549 MIN

Description

<p>In this deeply insightful and inspiring episode of <em>The Thing About Cars</em>, we welcome Dr. Bob McMahan, President of Kettering University—a revolutionary institution turning higher education on its head with a one-of-a-kind co-op model that combines rigorous academics with real-world engineering experience. </p> <p>Mickey, Misty, Ben, and Tim explore how Kettering’s approach creates professionals with not just degrees but patents, leadership roles, and two and a half years of experience before they even graduate.</p> <p>From the school’s roots in Flint, Michigan’s auto industry explosion to its modern-day global partnerships and pioneering programs that uplift underserved youth and inspire young women in STEM, Dr. McMahan pulls back the curtain on a model of education that’s working—and thriving.</p> <p>Also in this episode:</p> <ul> <li>The young woman who pivoted from French &amp; sociology to suspension design wizardry</li> <li>A Cadillac with fins big enough to throw shade on your garage</li> <li>Flint’s surprising renaissance, from water scandal to whitewater parks</li> <li>Why humanities matter even in a hardcore engineering environment</li> <li>That time a physicist-art historian became a university president</li> </ul> <p>Plus:</p> <ul> <li>Kettering’s car culture is alive and well (and obsessed with vintage Cadillacs)</li> <li>Formula SAE, motorcycles, and the TR-6 that stole Bob’s heart</li> <li>Trivia: What do tetraethyl lead, R-12 refrigerant, and a tragic mechanical bed have in common?</li> </ul> <p>🎓 Whether you’re a parent, a gearhead, or just someone who believes school should mean more than lectures and letter grades, this episode proves that education doesn’t have to be broken—it can just be reengineered.</p> <p>📍Learn more at <a href="https://www.kettering.edu/" rel="nofollow">kettering.edu</a></p> <p>We welcome your support via <a href="https://www.patreon.com/TheThingAboutCars" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a> and your questions and feedback via our <a href="http://thethingaboutcars.com/" rel="nofollow">website</a>.</p>