Spring ’23 Graduate Chooses P&G Process Engineer Position after Eight Job Offers Totaling $500,000 in Combined Salary

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) graduate and U.S. Air Force veteran Zhane Nelson who earned his Bachelor of Applied Science in Industrial Technology Management and Applied Engineering (ITMAE) has joined multinational consumer good corporation P&G (Proctor & Gamble) in Wisconsin as a process engineer. He’d already received eight employment offers from manufacturing, supply chain, and quality control companies totaling $500,000 in combined salary. Nelson, from Henrico, Va., was among those who graduated during the May 6 spring commencement.

“It felt wonderful, and I was grateful receiving so many job offers, but ultimately, I decided to begin my post-graduation career path with P&G,” said Nelson. “It’s a pivotal moment when you finally get to see your hard work pay off, but I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge all the UAPB faculty, my parents, Robert and Cheryl, and family members who helped me along the way.”

“The Industrial Technology Management and Applied Engineering program provides a clear pathway to professional excellence for our students,” ITMAE Department Chair Dr. Charles R. Colen, Jr. said. “More than 90% of our graduates are placed with an employer within six months post-graduation. We are so proud of Zhane and his accomplishments, and know he’ll exhibit the exceptional skills and expertise learned at UAPB while working for P&G.”

Nelson was an Airman 1^st Class in the United States Air Force and an aerospace ground equipment maintainer, so the ITMAE program “perfectly aligned with my military-honed skillset, and my existing community of family and friends attending UAPB made choosing the university simple,” Nelson said.

Industrial Technology Management and Applied Engineering, housed within the School of Arts and Sciences, prepares students for technical and technical management-oriented careers in the fields of business, industry, education, and government. Graduates leave UAPB with the knowledge and understanding of a variety of skills which include material and production processes, industrial management and human relations, principles of distribution, design, safety, automation, and electronics. Additionally, students acquire a thorough understanding of the theories and ability to apply principles and concepts of science, mathematics, and the application of computer fundamentals.

In addition to ITMAE, UAPB will offer a Bachelor of Science in Engineering beginning Fall 2023, marking a significant milestone for UAPB as the first historically Black college and university (HBCU) in the state of Arkansas to offer an engineering degree program. The Bachelor of Engineering program will consist of two tracks—Construction Project Management and Industrial Manufacturing. UAPB also offers the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering program, housed within the School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences.

For more information on the Department of Industrial Technology Management and Applied Engineering and the new engineering program, contact Dr. Charles R. Colen, Jr. at 870.575.8880 or colenc@uapb.edu.

For information about the agricultural engineering program, contact Dr. Tracy V. Dunbar at 870.575.7142 or dunbart@uapb.edu.