USU Professor Invests Grants Directly in Setting Up Students for Success

Andrew Deceuster, associate professor in the Department of Technology, Development & Technical Education (TDTE) at Utah State University, recently received his fourth $15,000 grant from the Gene Haas Foundation and continues to make sure every dollar directly benefits students.

Deceuster teaches materials processing, design and computer-integrated manufacturing courses for students in the Outdoor Product Design and Development and Technology Systems programs. He teaches the only CNC course at USU. CNC plays a crucial role in manufacturing, dictating the movement of machinery such as grinders, lathes, mills, routers, 3D printers and drills.

The money from the grants is used to support students’ participation in CNC competitions and to purchase measuring tools and other equipment that students use for CNC courses, equipment that remains with students as they continue with their education and careers. The grant money can also be used for scholarships.

Each semester that the course is taught, Deceuster divides the remaining grant money among the students in his CNC course. He typically has $10,000 left to invest in the 20 students in the class, with each student receiving $500 to put toward their education costs. To date, $30,000 has gone directly to USU students.

This grant and Deceuster’s efforts to distribute it significantly contribute to advancing technical skills education at USU. Deceuster’s teaching philosophy focuses on giving students meaningful hands-on experiences and industry-related knowledge; funding from the grants he has been awarded allows him to do that more effectively.

The Gene Haas Foundation was established in 1999 by Gene Haas, founder and owner of Haas Automation, Inc. The foundation aims to support the growing need for skilled manufacturing employees industrywide. By providing scholarship grants, sponsoring CNC competitions, and partnering with top-tier CNC training programs, the foundation works to expand the availability of high-quality manufacturing technology training around the world.