NMCC graduate gives back to alma mater
PRESQUE ISLE — “Northern Maine Community College is where it all started!” That was the theme during a visit between 2002 graduate Justinian Engels and diesel hydraulics instructor Bob Rice.
Photo courtesy of NMCC
JUSTINIAN ENGELS, Cummins service engineer and NMCC alumnus, right, greets Bob Rice, NMCC diesel hydraulics instructor, during a recent visit. Engels was instrumental in securing a donation to the college of a diesel engine.
Engels is a Presque Isle native who has a management position in New York with Cummins, Inc., the largest independent diesel manufacturer in the world. The company recently made a large donation to NMCC of a 12-liter platform diesel engine to be used as a trainer in the diesel lab.
Engels said giving to the college was the right thing to do.
“NM is the reason I’m where I am today. The education I got … the belief in what I could accomplish occurred here,” said Engels.
While a student at NMCC, Engels was encouraged by Rice and the trade and tech department chair to pursue a bachelor’s degree, which he did at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York.
“My education from NM’s diesel hydraulics program paid for the rest of my education,” said Engels. “I was able to work as a technician throughout my years at school and began work at that time for Cummins’ northeast distributorship in Buffalo. I put my NM education to very good use.”
Having been with this “Fortune 500” company for 11 years, now working as a heavy-duty service engineer, Engels was instrumental in an earlier donation from Cummins of another diesel engine that was current for emission controls at the time. The most recent donation has updates to those controls which will keep students current at least over the next five to 10 years.
“Justinian has guaranteed that future students will have the opportunity to learn on state-of-the-art equipment,” Rice said. “It’s gratifying to see students fulfill their greater potential as Justinian has.”
For his part, Engels said he’s grateful to his parents, Richard and Dr. Carole St. Pierre-Engels, for their support as he found his way and became a success. He said they were pleased with his outcome at NMCC.
“Bob and the faculty do a very good job of tailoring to individual needs and I think the smaller class size is helpful,” the younger Engels maintains. “Out of all my college experience, this was the best. From the faculty, to the environment … it was a great place to learn.”
