Leupold & Stevens has awarded a pair of scholarships to Oregon-based college students in the Multiple Engineering Cooperative Program (MECOP), which helps students gain real-world experience while working alongside professional engineers and designers. MECOP is a joint program between Oregon State University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Portland State University and the University of Portland. Leupold began its scholarship and internship support of the effort in 2015.
“As an American manufacturer, we know it’s critically import to support and foster the education of the next generation of innovators,” said Bruce Pettet, president and chief executive officer of Leupold. “We’ve supported the MECOP program for years now, and have always been dedicated to re-investing in the future of American engineering.”
MECOP is a joint effort between Oregon State University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Portland State University and the University of Portland. In addition to the scholarships, Leupold offers internship opportunities to individuals from the program each year. MECOP interns work in six-month paid positions alongside the optic manufacturer’s engineers.
“Leupold & Stevens is committed to American manufacturing, product innovation and true craftsmanship,” Pettet said in the scholarship/internship’s initial announcement in August, 2015. “As such, we’re proud supporters of the MECOP program, and the next generation of engineers and designers that it helps produce.”
MECOP students earn a five-year degree, instead of the more traditional four-year programs. This extended education allows MECOP students to gain a better understanding of the theory and science behind engineering, while the mandatory two 6-month internships allow them to put the theory into practice.
With almost 1,000 years of combined experience in its engineering team, Leupold provides interns with a unique opportunity to experience American craftsmanship blended with modern manufacturing. Leupold was founded in Oregon more than a century ago, where the fifth-generation, family-owned company remains.
