Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1313710
10 SMT007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2020 Feature Interview by the I-Connect007 Editorial Team The I-Connect007 editorial team had the plea- sure of an extended and detailed conversation with Johnny Vanderford and Courtney Ten- hover from Lorain County Community College (LCCC). Vanderford and Tenhover are at the heart of the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) program at LCCC that is emerging as a model for a successful technical higher-edu- cation program. This conversation was lively, and the enthusiasm at LCCC is infectious, as it should be; their results are impressive. Nolan Johnson: Can you please introduce who you are and what you do? Johnny Vanderford: I'm an assistant profes- sor and coordinator of the MEMS program at LCCC. I am also the director of LCCC's new Manufacturing Electronics and Rework Insti- tute for Training (MERIT). The content of our degree and institute is primarily focused on training with hands-on skills in electronics manufacturing. Johnson: We need a lot of that in this industry. Vanderford: I couldn't agree more. Courtney Tenhover: I'm a program developer at LCCC. I work on the earn-and-learn side of the program with Johnny, including get- ting job placements for students, working with employers to understand their needs, and pair- ing students and employers together. I have an HR and project management background, so bringing that to this program helps me work with employers on the HR side. Johnny is the technical expert. Vanderford: My background is in electrical engineering. I have a master's degree from Northern Illinois University. A primary part of my degree is based on electronic materials and hybrid board manufacturing, including a variety of different types of PCBs. The degree we teach is microelectronics manufacturing. It's how PCBs are manufactured, assembled, repaired, reworked, and designed with some additional skills in microelectronic packaging, such as wire bonding, die attach, and even a Lorain County Community College's Successful MEMS Program