Michigan Business Beat | President Dr. Robert McMahan, Kettering University, Talent & ROI Leadership

Chris Holman welcomes back Dr. Robert K. McMahan – President of Kettering University, Flint, MI. This discussion covers Institutional momentum, rankings, talent pipeline, semiconductor strategy Kettering’s model and focus Kettering is a private, STEM-focused university in Flint, Michigan, with strengths in engineering, computer science, and business. The University’s curriculum intentionally integrates rigorous classroom learning with a long-standing cooperative education (Co-op) model that alternates academic terms with full-time, paid industry placements. National rankings and ROI Launchpad Rankings named Kettering the No. 1 undergraduate institution in the country, citing its faculty teaching, experiential learning, and retention rates. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings place Kettering in the top 10 nationally for Career Preparation and report a 99/100 score for graduates’ starting salaries, with a Top 20 national ranking for Best Graduate Salaries. A Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce analysis ranks Kettering among the Top 25 private colleges in the U.S. for long-term return on investment, with a 40-year net present value of approximately $1.9 million, surpassing several better-known institutions. Talent pipeline & employer network Kettering partners with more than 570 employer organizations worldwide to deliver its Co-op model. Students typically graduate with about 2.5 years of full-time, paid professional experience due to the alternating 11-week academic and Co-op terms. Enrollment momentum (internal data – not externally sourced) Internal enrollment reports (your brief: 246 → 293 → 380) show three consecutive years of undergraduate growth. I could not find this specific trend published externally; if you use it, it should be framed as “according to Kettering’s enrollment data” rather than as a cited external statistic. Semiconductor & strategic positioning In July 2025, the Higher Learning Commission approved Kettering’s Accelerated B.S. in Semiconductor Materials and Devices, described as the first accelerated semiconductor bachelor’s degree of its kind in the U.S. The program is explicitly designed to address national semiconductor workforce needs and is aligned with Michigan’s talent-pipeline strategy, highlighted during Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s visit to Kettering’s GM Mobility Research Center, where she emphasized Michigan’s opportunity in the “race” to build semiconductor capacity. » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN’s YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/