WINONA LAKE  — Seated next door to the Orthopedic Capital of the World, Grace College has developed an undergraduate engineering program to launch in the fall. Grace’s Engineering Department will offer a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering, a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering management and a Bachelor of Science in design engineering technology. All three degrees have received approval from the Higher Learning Commission.

Kosciusko County is a prime location to train future engineers. “With the concentration of orthopedic and manufacturing companies in our county and state, engineering college graduates are much sought-after,” said Dr. John Lillis, provost of Grace College. “We’re eager to better meet the needs of our region with a robust engineering department, and we couldn’t be more pleased to have it led by Fred Wentorf.”

Wentorf will serve as Grace College Department of Engineering chair and assistant professor of engineering. He comes to Grace from Zimmer Biomet where he has worked since 2007, most recently as principal engineer. Wentorf holds a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Minnesota. In addition to extensive industry experience, Wentorf has authored more than 30 articles in scientific journals and six books chapters. He also holds three biomedical patents.

Wentorf will lead the new department starting immediately. Grace previously partnered with Trine University to offer a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering. While the partnership was successful for many years, growing demand for engineers and increased interest from current and prospective students led Grace to pursue its own engineering program for 2018.

Wentorf is passionate about mentoring the next generation of engineers “from a Christian perspective, with practical application.” He is currently working to develop an advisory board and finalize the new engineering curriculum. “It’s extremely important to me that our advisory board – comprised mostly of industry leaders – will help guide our program now and long into the future to ensure that the education we provide is relevant and sought-after by employers,” he said.

The Grace Department of Engineering will provide a variety of internship and co-operative experiences as part of each bachelor degree program. Wentorf is also exploring partnerships with local school districts to provide another avenue of learning and application for college students while giving back to the community and “hopefully inspiring a younger group of aspiring engineers.”

The new engineering program was created as part of Grace’s strategic plan for Educational Excellence. “Academic distinction and real-world preparation are hallmarks of a Grace College education,” said Lillis. “These are the standards prospective students and parents can expect from our new engineering program,” he concluded.

Grace College is now accepting applications in the Department of Engineering for the fall. For more information, or to apply, visit www.grace.edu or call (800) 544-7223.