WICHITA, Kan. — Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech) today celebrated the naming of the Kenworth Heavy Truck Lab, one of several state-of-the-art spaces created through the $3 million renovation of the Automotive Center completed in 2024. The lab naming recognizes the significant partnership between WSU Tech and Wichita Kenworth, Inc. (WKI Kenworth), which has provided major in-kind contributions and created an endowed scholarship to support future students.
The renovated Automotive Center modernized 30,000 square feet of instructional space and expanded capacity to serve nearly 50 additional students each year. Within that transformation, the Kenworth Heavy Truck Lab now stands as a centerpiece for the college’s Mobile Equipment program, which launched in 2024 to prepare students for careers operating, maintaining, and repairing heavy equipment in industries like construction, agriculture, and transportation.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations, with about 21,700 openings each year.
“Kenworth’s partnership exemplifies how business and education work together to create opportunity for students and strengthen our regional workforce,” said Dr. Sheree Utash, president of WSU Tech. “By naming one of our renovated labs the Kenworth Heavy Truck Lab, we are recognizing both their generosity and the way their investment builds on the $3 million renovation to provide our students with hands-on, real-world learning.”
Kenworth’s support includes major equipment donations such as:
- A 2019 Kenworth truck
- A 2022 Cummins engine
- A 2018 T270 Kenworth chassis and frame
- Multiple diesel engine components
In addition, WKI Kenworth has established an endowed scholarship dedicated to Mobile Equipment students, with the first award scheduled for 2026.
“We are proud to partner with WSU Tech in preparing the next generation of technicians,” said Brad Adams, Dealer Principal WKI Kenworth. “The heavy truck industry depends on highly skilled professionals, and this lab — along with the broader Automotive Center renovation — ensures students are training on the same equipment they’ll see in the field. Supporting this program is an investment in both our workforce and our community.”
