Michigan Business Beat | Mackinac Policy Conference 2026 - Dr. Robert McMahan, Kettering U. - #MPC26

Chris Holman speaks with Dr. Robert McMahan, from Media Row, at the Grand Hotel, while at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference. Kettering University President Bob McMahan spoke with host Chris Holman at the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce's annual policy conference on Mackinac Island, highlighting Kettering's strong outcomes: near-perfect graduate employment, top starting salaries, and growing enrollment that bucks national trends affecting mid-sized institutions. He explained that Kettering's co-op model alternates 12-week campus terms with 12-week industry rotations, giving students two to three years of hands-on experience and earnings of $75,000–$100,000 before they graduate. McMahan also shared that the university predates its well-known GMI era, having been founded independently by Flint-area industry partners before General Motors absorbed it. His main concern is that families and policymakers tend to view all universities as interchangeable, overlooking how specialized institutions like Kettering deliver outsized value relative to their size. » Visit MBN website: http://www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Watch MBN’s YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: http://www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: http://twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/