The Ford Motor Co. helped Pennsylvania College of Technology celebrate the dedication of its newly renovated and expanded Parkes Automotive Technology Center by providing the college with a new Ford Mustang.
The 2011 Mustang GT Premium Edition convertible, valued at more than $40,000, was delivered in time for the dedication of the ATC -- part of the college’s Stage X building program -- on Sept. 10.
Christopher H. Van Stavoren, assistant professor of automotive technology with Penn College’s Ford Automotive Student Service Educational Training (ASSET) program, said the Mustang offers many features that will be important in teaching students about a variety of modern automotive systems.
Those features include: a 5.0-liter, 32-valve Twin independent Variable Camshaft Timing (TiVCT) engine; a six-speed manual transmission; electronic power assist steering; AdvanceTrac electronic stability control system; and sync technology.
“The TiVCT system allows us to teach the 2010 Ford engine repair and engine performance courses,” he said, “while the EPAS and ESC systems allow us to teach the 2010 electronic steering and suspension and ABS/ESC Ford courses.”
Van Stavoren added that the Sync Technology will allow faculty to integrate the latest Bluetooth technologies into Ford electronics courses, noting that the Mustang has many advanced electrical/electronic circuits that can be used in instruction.
“Ford ASSET program students will benefit greatly from this addition to our training fleet,” he said.
Ford ASSET is one of four associate degrees in automotive technology available at Penn College. The college’s School of Transportation Technology also offers a bachelor’s degree in automotive technology management, an automotive service technician certificate and a motorsports service technician competency credential, as well as an associate degree and a certificate in collision repair.
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