Car show draws crowd to Asnuntuck Community College. A bonus was a chance to learn about the school.
Asnuntuck Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center recently held a Car Show and it was a great “way to get our name out,” organizers said. .
In conjunction with the show, tours of the advanced manufacturing center were conducted, as well as registrations for the Next Step program.
About 70 cars took part in the show at the Enfield college, and scores of visitors came to see them.
Rick Munroe, head of the college’s welding department, said the department and its new facilities, renovated over the past five years, are perhaps under-sung.
“A lot of people don’t know we’re back here, but [when] they do see what they have....it broadens their horizons as to what we have to offer people,” Munroe said, adding that the program is the only welding program in the state that offers certification.
“Not only do we train them, but we can certify them here,” he said. “We teach them a fabrication program. We’ve got laser welders and laser cutters, all different processes of welding, and fabrication equipment. We have about a 90-percent job placement rate for our graduates.”
Mike Kunze, one of the school’s welding instructors, said it was the first year for the show, and they hope to have more, to bring more awareness to the school’s tech and welding programs. It was a good fit, as many of the students and instructors also enjoy working on cars and vehicles, he said.
“Most of our students are into cars and modifying cars, so we figured what better way to get our name out there than to hold a car show?” Kunze said.
Bruce Marshall was the deejay for the show, and said he does dozens of shows in Connecticut and Springfield area.
“This is great. They asked me to come in and help them out, and it turned out to be a fantastic success,” Marshall said of the show. “We got a lot of people to come and look at the school, which is the whole point of it. We had great car people and a perfect day.”
The Next Step Saturday assists new and continuing students to apply and register for the fall semester. Staff was on hand to provide advising assistance and answer questions regarding financial aid and registration.
Participants were able to learn about the college’s more than 50 academic programs, in addition to Asnuntuck’s Advanced Manufacturing program.
Another car show is scheduled at Asnuntuck for Oct. 15.
For more information, visit www.asnuntuck.edu/nextstepsaturday/. The college’s fall semester begins on Aug. 29.
