Morrisville State College automotive students got a first-hand look at industry trends while networking with automotive professionals and potential future employers during the annual SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show held in Las Vegas Oct. 28-Nov. 3.
SEMA, the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world, provides attendees with educational seminars, product demonstrations, new product launchings, educational events, and technical and business training.
Free business and professional-development seminars covered a range of topics that included social media, marketing, customer service, and vehicle technology and industry trends.
Displays included a new products showcase with newly introduced parts, tools and components.
New this year, SEMA instituted a Show Student Program, which provides students with unique learning experiences that integrate their fields of study with actual business and tradeshow opportunities in the automotive specialty-equipment market.
The annual show draws more than 70,000 domestic and international buyers.
Participating in this year’s show were the following students:
- Billy Terrell, an automotive technology bachelor’s degree student from Sherrill
- Daniel Stanton, an automotive technology bachelor’s degree student from Port Crane
- Christopher Bush, an automotive technology bachelor’s degree major from Silver Springs
- Garrett Grinnell, an automotive technology bachelor’s degree student from Canastota
- Ian Ball, an automotive technology associate degree student from East Syracuse
- Sean Harrington, an automotive management bachelor’s degree student from Glens Falls
- Matthew Hartunian, an automotive management bachelor’s degree major from Clifton Park
- Stefan Komrowski, from Liverpool
- Timothy O’Connor, an automotive technology bachelor’s degree student from Carmel
Also participating were: Ron Alexander and Ray Grabowski, associate professors in the Automotive Department.
Morrisville’s automotive programs prepare students for automotive careers, aligning them with the current industry.
Morrisville’s facilities include an award-winning automotive technology building with nine state-of-the art laboratories and a showroom, and an auto body building with a lab containing superior air purification equipment, a laser device for measuring frame damage and a Garmat paint station. It also has its own parts department and live service desk, both run by students who gain communication skills performing live work on faculty, staff and student vehicles.