As a high school student from Columbia, South Carolina, Jordan Cochran was fascinated by the science and technology surrounding machines and manufacturing. So, she was instantly captivated when she heard about the Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence (CME) at the University of Mississippi.
“My engineering and robotics teacher at Ocean Springs High School on the Mississippi coast frequently made references about the Center for Manufacturing Excellence,” Cochran recalled. “It got my attention immediately and I was fascinated by what I heard about this amazing center.”
The CME offers a unique approach to training students to become innovative leaders in the world of modern manufacturing. By giving students hands-on experiential learning opportunities and providing a collaborative learning environment, the CME has built a strong reputation as the nation’s only program of its kind.
As she made her way through high school, Cochran thought more about which universities she should apply to for admission, telling herself that acceptance into the CME program at UM might be the deciding factor.
“When I found out that I had been accepted into the CME program, Ole Miss became one of my top three schools,” said Cochran, who graduated from J.M. Tate High School in Cantonment, Florida, after several moves due to her family being in the military.
Cochran quickly learned her decision to apply to the CME program and enroll at UM this past fall was the right choice. She was awarded the Toyota-Haley Barbour Scholarship through CME, considered the center’s most prestigious scholarship.
“Being awarded this scholarship from a program that I’ve looked up to for so long is pretty amazing to consider,” she said. “It definitely motivates me to obtain my degree because the CME saw something in me that was worthy of receiving this scholarship.”
A mechanical engineering major in the UM School of Engineering, Cochran is debating which engineering focus she will ultimately pursue, either aerospace or automotive. Once she decides, the CME will give her the opportunity to participate in internships, co-ops and experiential learning courses.
“Jordan has already made an impact in her short time with the CME,” said Tyler Biggs, associate director for external operations at the CME. “We look forward to seeing her participate in successful internships and co-ops while watching as she develops into a future industry leader.”
Cochran and other CME students gain real-world training on the program’s 12,000-square-foot manufacturing floor which is equipped with more than 70 pieces of manufacturing equipment.
To assist Cochran with the transition from high school to college, she was able to begin studying at Ole Miss earlier than many other freshmen thanks to the Louis Stokes Mississippi Alliance for Minority Participation (LSMAMP) Increasing Minority Access to Graduate Education (IMAGE) program. Minority students pursuing four-year degrees in either a science, technology, engineering or mathematics field are supported by this program.
“Over the course of a month this past summer, I studied with 14 other minority students,” Cochran said. “While we, at times, struggled in our classes together, I truly believe this program brought us closer as freshmen and greatly assisted us as we were starting a new chapter in our lives.”
Cochran said her first year of college and her introduction to a possible career in engineering went smoothly. She gave credit to the CME and the LSMAMP IMAGE program for assisting her with this transition.
“Going to school in Oxford was an adjustment at first,” she said. “But overall, I’m glad to call this place home.”
For information on the CME, visit its website here. To learn how to provide support to CME programs and scholarships, contact Jason McCormick, executive director of development, at jason@olemiss.edu or 662-915-1757.
By Sara Mahmoud/UM Development