Marvin and Northland Community & Technical College Hold Grand Opening Ceremony For New Mechatronics Training Facility


October 07, 2022

Launched in 2022 in partnership with Northland Community & Technical College, a grand opening event was held for the innovative program’s all-new facility.


WARROAD, Minn. (October 07, 2022)Marvin, a premium manufacturer of windows and doors, brought an all-new mechatronics program to Warroad, Minnesota in partnership with Northland Community and Technical College (Northland). To house the growing program, the Advanced Resource Center for Innovation and Education (ARC) is open and ready to support the expanding need for education in advanced manufacturing automation in the region. A ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony for the ARC facility was held at 12 p.m. on Oct. 7, 2022.


Marvin and Northland Community and Technical College ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony

ARC will support the mechatronics program which was built on the foundational principles of a competency-based education model that caters to all learners regardless of their education goals or starting point. The new center, where students will be able to earn up to a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree or any number of certificates within the 60-credit program, is open and ready for students to continue their education. Courses are also available on a stand-alone basis to help students master specific new skills or take their personal interests to the next level.


“Advanced manufacturing automation and training in mechanical, electrical, automation and manufacturing technologies remain an urgent and growing need for employers in Minnesota as well as throughout the country,” said Peggy Anderholm, ARC education manager. “Our inaugural class in August 2022 has laid the groundwork for this much-needed and exciting educational opportunity, and the opening of the Advanced Resource Center will allow for further expansion of the program as well as a first-in-class facility for continued training.”


Taught by newly acquired instructor Jackson Harren, a graduate of the University of Alabama with a B.S.E. in Industrial and Systems Engineering and M.S. in Management of Technology as well as previous Marvin Manufacturing Engineering team leader, enrollment in the Northland mechatronics program at ARC will be granted on a rolling basis to best serve the unique schedules of every student. Scholarships and financial aid may be used toward tuition costs. More information on the new mechatronics program can be found at northlandcollege.edu.


“The opening of ARC is a strong and visible symbol of Northland’s close partnership with Marvin, as well as our continuing commitment to working with industry to serve the needs of our local community employers,” said Dr. Sandy Kiddoo, President of Northland Community and Technical College. “The still-new mechatronic program is itself groundbreaking—a hybrid curriculum teaching hybrid technical skills our students need to build meaningful, highly rewarding careers in fields with tremendous growth potential. Combined with the just in time delivery model that’s now available onsite in Warroad, the ARC opens up so many new, highly accessible opportunities for students and employers across northern Minnesota.”


About Marvin
Marvin is a fourth-generation family-owned and -led business headquartered in Warroad, Minnesota, with more than 7,000 employees across 16 cities in North America. The Marvin portfolio of products for builders, architects and homeowners is designed to provide exceptional solutions for any project with a focus on creating better ways of living. Marvin products are distributed nationally through a network of independent dealers and are also exported internationally. Visit Marvin.com to learn more.


About Northland
Northland Community & Technical College (Northland) is a comprehensive college with campuses in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, and Thief River Falls, Minnesota. Northland also has an aerospace site in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, and campus extension locations in Warroad, Minnesota, and Roseau, Minnesota. Northland offers certificates, diplomas, transfer courses, and two-year degrees (A.A.S., A.S., A.A.) in more than 80 areas of study, workforce training, and education programs. Northland is a member of Minnesota State, the third-largest system of two-year colleges and four-year universities in the United States, and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. For more information about Northland, visit www.northlandcollege.edu.


# # #