Rudy Coronado speaks during the Mechatronics Capstone presentations
When Rudy Coronado graduated from Cleveland State Community College this May with a degree in mechatronics, he was the first person in his family to earn a college degree. He participated in the Advanced Technologies Institute at the college and worked as a maintenance intern at Mueller Company while taking classes.
“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, but I knew that technology will always grow and could branch off to many different things,” said Mr. Coronado. “I loved the internship - not only for the experience, but the amount of things we learned.
At Mueller, they had so many maintenance technicians. One guy dedicates his time to electrical; one is mechanical; one is more focused on designing. When I found out that one guy had been welding for 10 years, I asked him if I could tag along with him because I’d like to learn. He helped me immensely, which helped us on our capstone project.”
Each spring, students in the Manufacturing Applications class at the college divide into teams to design capstone projects to demonstrate their understanding of the principles of electrical, mechanical, fluid power and industrial computer controls which they learned throughout their time at Cleveland State. These student-led, hands-on projects are graded by industry and education partners.
Mr. Coronado was part of the Joystick Junction team which built a claw machine. They wanted to show that mechatronics isn’t just for industry applications; it can be fun and games too.
“The capstone project was like getting thrown in the deep end,” said Mr. Coronado. “It was a great learning experience. Not only is it using applications that we’ve learned, but the communication and teamwork and time management were very important. I’m so happy I ended up with my group. We would all come together, and everybody would give their ideas. We would take from each idea then focus on our project.”
“I have been impressed with Rudy throughout his time at Cleveland State,” said Ralph Gwaltney, Advanced Technologies instructor. “He has made the most of his education and has found a job that is a great fit for his outlook and personality. I expect him to have great success in his career.”
With his associate degree and internship experience, Mr. Coronado started working for the Chattanooga based company, ALPHA SafeNet. He helps to design and manufacture road construction safety devices. He will also continue to help manage his family’s business, Chihuahua’s Tortillas and Bakery.
“I want to make sure the family business grows so I can give my parents a retirement,” said Mr. Coronado. “I also want to perfect the safety system that I work on now because it will save lives. I am thankful that Cleveland State gave me the opportunity to get a degree and gain experience. You can’t beat that.”