BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) announced that the College of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR) at Ferris State University has been honored with ACCA's Jeff Forker Award for Excellence in Training.

"Formal training is critical to enhancing the professionalism of our industry," said Paul T. Stalknecht, ACCA president and CEO. "Ferris State University's program strengthens the industry's reputation and commitment to the technicians - and customers - of tomorrow."

The award was presented at the 2006 ACCA Annual Conference and Indoor Air Expo in San Jose, Calif.

The school was nominated by the ACCA Student Chapter there. The students cited four areas in which Ferris State excels:

Professionalism - Professors work collaboratively to ensure that the curriculum is built on a solid foundation and supplemented in a cohesive manner. The result of this cohesiveness is students and alumni who are extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of HVACR.

Trade Involvement - Students and faculty regularly attend ACCA-sponsored events in order to increase their knowledge of cutting-edge technology in HVACR, and the college hosts orientation seminars for new products as well as existing products.

Community Service - Both faculty and students are involved in Heat's On, a volunteer program that ensures low-income housing has adequate HVACR inspections and that systems operate reliably. Load calculation course students conduct energy audits for local businesses and schools to educate the public about possible energy savings they can achieve.

Creativity - The state-of-the-art Granger Building houses classrooms as well as laboratories that are consistently updated with new technologies in order to give students a hands-on experience with products. The infrastructure and HVACR components of the building become part of the students' educational experience.

"We congratulate Ferris State University for its dedication and hard work on behalf of the industry," Stalknecht said. "The College of HVACR deserves this recognition."

Publication date: 05/01/2006