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Automotive Program Spotlight Series
Sharing stories of strategic partnerships to support the next generation of auto technicians and workers
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School Partner: State University of New York (SUNY) | Morrisville, New York
When Dan Akers, an associate professor at SUNY Morrisville, heard that Lithia & Driveway (LAD) was giving the college’s automotive department $50,000 to support its programs, he was stunned. “My jaw dropped,” he recalls, “because that size of a donation makes a huge impact on our ability to better train and educate our auto tech students.”
This exciting donation was a milestone moment in a progressive, ten-year partnership between the college and several LAD dealerships, including Don’s Ford of Utica, Subaru of Utica, CDJR of Utica, Carbone Collision of Utica, Ford of Latham, and Armory CDJR of Albany.
Karen Flynn, who joined LAD in 2017 as a recruiter, realized right away the partnership’s potential for developing a strong talent pool for these locations and quickly became a familiar figure on campus. Earlier this year, Flynn presented college officials with the $50,000 check, saying, “It was such a great feeling to be able to give something back to SUNY Morrisville and let them know how much we appreciate all they do.”
SUNY Morrisville: A Long Tradition in Automotive Education
The college’s small-town setting in rural, upstate New York may seem like an unusual location for such robust and modern automotive programs, but it’s been educating students on auto repair since 1933. Today, the Automotive Department—which feels like a “miniature family” to many—offers an impressive selection of auto and diesel technology degrees, including a two-year Ford ASSET Program degree and certifications for MCAP (Stellantis) and Subaru.
“Our graduates with OEM degrees or certificates save stores a lot of money because they usually foot the bill for certifying their techs,” says Matthew Polak, Automotive Department & MCAP Coordinator. “The manufacturers provide the cars, tools, and supplies for these college programs, and the stores support us by providing students with on-site internships.”
The LAD Donation in Action
Akers, who is also the director for the Ford ASSET Program, notes that the college prides itself on running a tidy, tight ship using current technology. In fact, $24,000 of the donation helped Akers’ program purchase a new Ford road-force tire balancer that is already installed in the state-of-the-art facility.
“We never would have been able to purchase this piece of cutting-edge equipment without the LAD donation,” says Akers. ““I cannot thank Lithia & Driveway enough for their generosity and support.”
The college also purchased a brand-new floor-cleaning machine because the old one gave up the ghost. Polak remarks, “Now, instead of hand-mopping the entire 50,000 square-foot facility, we save time and energy with the new machine doing all the work.” In addition, there was enough money left to purchase a much-needed welder.
College-Store Partnership Success Story
Billy Melendez, Service Manager at Don’s Ford of Utica, knows first-hand how well the partnership with SUNY Morrisville has benefitted his shop. Over his tenure, he has hired several Ford ASSET Program graduates and currently employs three service technicians from the program.
“We have seen outstanding results from this partnership,” claims Melendez. “Notably, two of our technicians who graduated from SUNY Morrisville have achieved Ford Master Technician certification and consistently perform repairs at a very high level. Their success is a testament to the great job Dan Akers and his team are doing and the value of continued collaboration between our store and the college.”
DON’S FORD SERVICE TECHNICIAN SPOTLIGHTS:
Rudy Martinez | Senior Master Service Technician, Class A
Don’s Ford of Utica (New York)
Martinez’s passion for fixing cars started when he was a kid, working alongside his dad and reading AAA car manuals. So it was a natural fit when he decided to pursue a two-year automotive degree at SUNY Morrisville, which had impressed him with its rural lifestyle and exceptional facilities.
“The Morrisville professors were great,” he recalls. “They were friendly and funny, and made sure we could pass our finals. One year, Professor Akers invited the entire Ford class to his house for Thanksgiving dinner. It was just that kind of close-knit atmosphere.”
As part of the Ford ASSET Program, he had to align with a Ford dealership to achieve a required 600-hour apprenticeship, and that’s how he connected with Don’s Ford. Martinez worked at Don’s for a few years before leaving the area. In 2020, he returned, and today, he works in the main shop tackling complex diagnoses.
Evan Schaaf | Service Technician, Class C
Don’s Ford of Utica (New York)
Schaaf has always been interested in cars, but he wasn’t sure how to pursue that interest. To learn more, he started going to car meets and listening to others talk about their personal car stories. Encouraged by his fiancée, he enrolled in SUNY Morrisville’s basic auto tech program, where he began to learn about car repair in the classroom and labs.
When he took a break from college, he got hired at Don’s Ford of Utica, where he gained hands-on experience working on vehicles. Inspired, he returned to SUNY Morrisville and enrolled in its Ford ASSET Program. “When I wasn’t at school attending labs and lectures,” Schaaf says, “I was working at Don’s Ford applying my knowledge from school with actual learning on the vehicles.”
Schaaf graduated with an associate’s degree in 2022, noting that his future plan is “to continue to work hard and work my way up so I can reach my potential in this career.”
If your store or technical school is interested in developing a similar partnership, reach out to Brittany Osterhout, Community Relations Manager, at BrittanyOsterhout@lithia.com.
