Republican-Eagle: Passion fuels students in bike fabrication classes
Program is first of its kind in the nation
By Steve Gardiner, January 6, 20209RED WING -- When officials at Minnesota State College Southeast opened the doors on the first bicycle design and fabrication program in the nation this fall, they were hoping to find a cohort of enthusiastic students to fill the classes and launch the program. That's what they got.
"As a new program, we couldn't ask for anything better," said Dawn Lubahn, interim dean of the business, trade and technology department. "We have 17 students in the program, and it is coming out of the gate really strong."
The college hired two instructors, Chase Spaulding and Mike Ford. Spaulding has a master's degree in industrial design from North Carolina State University and is in charge of the design classes, including work with SolidWorks, a computer design program. Ford is a retired ironworker from Red Wing with 44 years of experience in metal fabrication and welding; he teaches part time.
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