Mechanical engineering unveils new project space for senior design class

November 26, 2019

Mississippi State University’s department of mechanical engineering officially opened the new Jack and Betty Perkinson Senior Design Review Studio on Tuesday, November 26.

The room will support students in the mechanical engineering senior design class, which is a project-based course where Bagley College of Engineering students partner with businesses to create practical, engineering-based solutions to existing problems.

Ribbon cutting photo

Unveiling the new Jack and Betty Perkinson Senior Design Review Studio are (from left) Betty Perkinson, Jack Perkinson, mechanical engineering department head Pedro Mago and assistant professor Wil Whittington. (photo by Kristen Polk)

The room is named in honor of Jack Perkinson and his wife Betty. Perkinson is a member of the mechanical engineering advisory board and has worked closely with assistant professor Wil Whittington, who teaches the senior design class. He graduated from Mississippi State with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1970 and is the owner of J.M. Perkinson Engineering.

“It was a wonderful surprise and completely unexpected when Dr. Mago mentioned that they wanted to name the senior design suite after my wife and myself,” Perkinson said. “I knew they were working on creating the room but had no idea that it would be dedicated to me. It is a great, great honor.”

The new design review studio in Carpenter Hall will feature a display with video conference capabilities, wireless connections for presentations and meetings and space for mechanical engineering students to work with industry representatives and collaborators.

“Our mechanical engineering students and faculty are very thankful to Jack and Betty Perkinson,” said Pedro Mago, department head for mechanical engineering. “I cannot thank Jack enough for his strong support of our students and for working closely with Dr. Wil Whittington in our senior design class. The new design review studio is already making a big impact in the lives of our students and will significantly enhance the quality of our capstone senior design class.”

“Getting to work with these students every day is a blessing,” Perkinson added. “Mississippi State gave me a wonderful education and I’m happy to give back. I’m trying to help get more outstanding Mississippi State engineers out into the world.”

The Bagley College of Engineering is online at www.bagley.msstate.edu and can be found on FacebookTwitter, Instagram and YouTube at @msuengineering.

Mechanical Engineering is the largest academic department within the Bagley College of Engineering and the third largest department at Mississippi State. The department is well recognized nationally and internationally for its excellence in engineering education, research, scholarships, service and outreach.

Mississippi State University is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.

By: Philip Allison