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J
ason Dean is a man who takes the
initiative. If he wants to learn how to do
something, he opens a book or goes on-
line and teaches himself. He’s spent most
of his adult life constructing buildings but
would rather be building robots.
When the U.S. military was losing thou-
sands of robots while disarming road-
side bombs, Jason took it upon himself
to design a robot that burned up bomb
components using a carbon dioxide
laser. Being a basement tinkerer – not a
large defense contractor – it didn’t go too
far, but he says he got noticed by some
important people. So much so, he was
invited to Fort Benning, Georgia to present
his next idea, a robot that used suction to
gently expose buried improvised explosive
devices (IED), gently vacuuming away dirt
and debris without putting pressure on
the bomb. “They loved it,” says Jason.
“Once again, however, me being just one
person, I couldn’t develop an expensive
prototype.”
That’s when Jason decided it was time
to become a professional and that meant
furthering his education. He chose ECPI
University Online and quickly completed
all the courses for his Bachelor of Science
Degree in Electronics Engineering Tech-
nology. Yet, he still needed an externship
to graduate. Being the curious person he
is, he attended a science fair at his old
high school and noticed there was some-
thing missing. “There were no robots, no
electrical circuits or relays,” says Jason. “I
couldn’t believe it!”
So, Jason approached the school dis-
trict’s superintendent and talked to his
program advisor and designed his own
externship. He would start a robotics
club which would be built into one of the
school’s existing technology courses. The
response was immediate. Twenty students
signed up and once a week, he would
teach students how robots work.
Building them, on the other hand, pre-
sented a challenge. At the time, the school
had no budget for the program. Being
inventive, he asked his students to collect
old or discarded electronic devices like
DVD players, DVRs, and VHS machines.
“The kids really embraced it,” says Jason.
“We broke everything down into individual
components and got to work. They were
amazed by all the things that we could
make using electronic junk!”
The program was a success. Jason says
the school district has allocated enough
money for two classes dedicated entirely
to robotics which are set to begin in the
next two years. He has now earned his
degree from ECPI University and is cur-
rently working on his Master’s Degree in
Secondary Education. “You never know
where you’re going to end up,” says Ja-
son. “I was planning on taking my degree
and going to work for some big technolo-
gy company, but after being around those
kids, I knew that I was meant to teach. I
had some great teachers at ECPI Univer-
sity and I plan on bringing their same level
of enthusiasm into my own classroom
very soon.”
“I was planning on taking
my degree and going
to work for some big
technology company, but
after being around those
kids, I knew that I was
meant to teach.”
Culinary Graduate Honored by
Military Sealift Command
E
rvin Cummings graduated from ECPI
University’s School of Culinary Arts,
Culinary Institute of Virginia, just over one
year ago. In that short time, he has man-
aged to impress a great many people.
Ervin works on the
U.S.N.S. Spearhead
,
operated by the Military Sealift Command.
He’s the ship’s chef but that title fails to
capture all he does.
First off, he’s the only chef on the ship. He
alone cooks 300 meals per day. What’s
more, he is always looking for other ways
to serve, including firefighting and assist-
ing with helicopter landings. It’s that level
of dedication that led to his being awarded
the Able Seaman Oscar Chappell Award.
In 1942, Oscar Chappell served
on an oil tanker that was struck
by three torpedoes. Injured by
the explosions, he stayed at the
helm of the ship and saved seven
of his shipmates from burning to
death by turning the ship into the
wind and redirecting the flames
from his trapped shipmates onto
himself and the wheelhouse. Placing
his own safety beyond all considerations,
his last thought and act was to assure the
survival of his imperiled shipmates.
Mr. Chappell’s courage and selfless dis-
regard of his own life serves as inspiration
to seamen of the United States Merchant
Marine everywhere. This award for out-
standing maritime stewardship is awarded
to a Military Sealift Command crewmem-
ber who displays selfless dedication to
shipmates. “I was astonished, flabbergast-
ed,” says Ervin. “To be recognized like this
is such an honor. I would never imagine
being placed in such a category.”
Graduate Takes Online Education
into Hometown Classroom
Ervin Cummings (center) accepts the Able Seaman Oscar Chappell Award.