Points of Pride | Department of Technology

Academics

Our undergraduate programs, which blend extensive experiential learning with business and management principles and practices, are accredited by industry leaders, including:

Typical class sizes range from 20-24 students and regularly include laboratory experiences and other experiential learning.

Facilities include a one-of-a-kind automation laboratory comprised of 10 robotics workstations and conveyor systems. The laboratory was generously funded by the Caterpillar Foundation.

A full-time systems manager maintains our departmental computers and software.

An online summer program helps keep students on track to a timely graduation.

Student Life

The Department of Technology is proud to support six registered student organizations, giving our students many different opportunities to network with their peers and future employers.

Teams of students annually travel to conferences to participate in national competitions sponsored by professional organizations.

Scholarships

The Department of Technology awards around $55,000 in student scholarships annually. Scholarships and enhancements to our equipment and facilities are made possible because of the generous financial support of our alumni, past and present faculty, and friends of the department.

Careers

Placement rates are very positive. Graduates are actively recruited for employment in Illinois and across the nation.

The job placement rate for graduating students was over 90 percent in the last year. Starting salaries for students who received Bachelor of Science degrees ranged from $35,000 to $65,000. For students who completed a Master of Science degree, it was between $50,000 and $85,000.

Each undergraduate program has strong industry connections, advisory boards, and student chapters of supporting professional organizations. Those student organizations in each major enhance professional networking for internships and career placement.

Recent employers include A&R Mechanical Contractors, ABB Robotics, Active, ADM-Nebraska, AEP Energy, AIS Advantage Industrial Systems, Aldridge Electric, Allstate, Ameren, Ameren, American Graphics Systems, American Wind Energy Management, Anning-Hounson Company, ATMI Precast Building Precast Solutions, Bear Construction, BFC, Blattner Energy, Blue Northern Energy (biodiesel), Bodine Electric Company, Bosch, Brady Construction, BrandMuscle, Brandt, Bridgestone America, Broeren-Russo, Builtech Construction, Bulley & Andrews, Bushman Construction Management, Catalyst Construction, Caterpillar, Centex Homes, CIT Trucks, Clenera, Clune Construction, COUNTRY Financial, Curtis 1000, Custom Aluminum Products, Inc., D.R. Horton Construction, Discover, DND Electric, DNV GL, DooleyMack Construction, DTE Biomass, Eakus Corp., EDF Renewables, Elevate Energy, Energy Resources Center, Eversource Energy, Executive Construction, F.H. Paschen, Farnsworth Group Engineering, FCL Builders, Federal and state governments, Felmley-Dickerson, Franklin Energy, GE (General Electric), Genesis Systems Group, George Butler Engineering, GFX International, Glass Solutions, Graphic Display Systems, GROWMARK, Inc., Hines, Holder Construction, HS Crocker, HTH companies, Hurco Companies, Inc., Hydro-Gear, IBM, Illinois Green Business Association, Illinois Masonry Corp., Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, Incobrasa Industries, International Contractors, Invenergy, IVPlastics, Inc., J.A. Watts, J.F. Edwards Construction, Johnson & Quin, Johnston Contractors, Keeley Construction, Kerrigan Plumbing, K-Five Construction, KHovnanian Homes, Korte, Leo Burnett, Liberty Creative Solutions, Lincoln International, LSC Communications, M/I Homes, Mario Sinacola & Sons, Martin One Source, Matrix Design, Inc., McCauley Mechanical Construction, McShane Construction, Medical Murray, Midtronics, Molex, Morgan Harbour Construction, Morton Buildings, Motorola, Mulligan Printing, Namaste Solar, Nexant Emerson, Next Era, NextGrid, Nosco, OEC Graphics, Otto Baum Company, P.J. Hoerr, Performance Contracting Group, Platinum Converting, PMI Premier Mechanical, Porter Lee Corp., PowderKeg, Power Construction, Powin Energy, Pro Mold & Die, Progressive Impressions International, Pulte Homes, Quad Graphics, Quantum Ink, R.C. Wegman Construction, R.D. Lawrence, REB Storage Systems International, REC Solar, Renishaw, RES, Ring Container Technologies, River City Construction, Rivian, Rosvik Power Systems, RR Donnelley, RWE, Schneider Electric, Scott Lewis Homes, SECAD (Smart Energy Design Assistance Center), SGS International, Inc., Shales McNutt Construction, Siemens, SMC Corporation, Solar City-Colorado, Stark Excavating, State Farm, STL Technology Partners, Straight Up Solar, Sullivan Roofing, Sun Africa, SunPower, SunRun, Suzlon, Taylor Communications, Tecta America, TEK Systems, Tesla, The Hill Group, Titan Solar, Toll Brothers, Town & Country Homes, Transco Products, Inc., Transocean, Trina Solar, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, Turner Construction, UPS, Vector Construction, Vistra Energy, Vizient Manufacturing, Walsh Construction, We Are Alexander, Weather Tech, Weis Builders, Western Construction Group, White Oak Technologie Group, Whiting-Turner, Wight & Company, William Charles, Wolf Robotics, and many school districts in Illinois.

Faculty & Research

Dr. Matt Aldeman (PI), Dr. Jin Jo, Jeritt Williams, and several other Illinois State University faculty were awarded a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to collaborate with Chicago Public Schools and Community Based Organizations in 4 Chicago neighborhoods to increase the pipeline of underrepresented students into STEM fields.

Dr. Isaac Chang has worked with several undergraduate students on immersive virtual reality experiences. Students have presented their work at the annual conference of the Association of Technology Management and Applied Engineering.

Dr. Pranshoo Solanki and Sally Xie have been working on research sponsored by the Illinois Department of Transportation to investigate field curing conditions on the strength of concrete test specimens. Both graduate and undergraduate students have participated in this research project.

Engineering Technology faculty Dr. Kevin Devine and Jeritt Williams are preparing the next generation of systems integration specialists using ABB robots in our Caterpillar Integrated Manufacturing Laboratory.

Instructional Assistant Professor Adam Burke mentored six Graphic Communications Technology students during the 2020-2021 academic year as they participated in the Phoenix Challenge competition. The team earned first-place honors in the competition, which included university teams from the United States and Canada.

Dr. Jin Jo and Dr. Matt Aldeman mentored Sustainable & Renewable Energy students as they participated in the Department of Energy’s Solar District Cup 2022 Competition. The team of seven students earned third place in their division.

Dr. Chris Merrill has been recognized by the International Technology & Engineering Educators Association with the 2020 Presidential Citation and by the Association of Career & Technical Education as the 2019 National Teacher Educator of the Year.