Washtenaw Community College (WCC) will spotlight its electric vehicle (EV) expertise at the 2025 Detroit Auto Show Mobility Global Forum with a panel discussion titled “Electrifying Michigan: Navigating the EV Journey for Educators, Industry, and Consumers.”
The free event will take place at 1 p.m. Jan. 16 on the Atrium Stage at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit.
Panelists include WCC President Dr. Rose Bellanca; Glenn Stevens, executive director of MichAuto; Neal T. Foley, DTE Energy’s director of electric marketing and electrification; and Tom Butman, general manager of Gene Butman Ford. The discussion will be moderated by Alisyn Malek, founder and CEO of Middle Third, a company specializing in workforce development for electrification and advanced mobility.
“WCC is proud to lead conversations that bridge education, industry, and consumer interests as we navigate the future of electric mobility,” Bellanca said.
The panel is part of the Auto Show’s Industry Days programming, which includes other discussions and activities focused on innovation in mobility and electrification.
Showcasing EV Training at WCC Booth
In addition to the panel, WCC will host Booth #107 inside the Automobili-D Industry Days Grand Ballroom on Jan. 15-16. Faculty and students will display the college’s Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E vehicles, which are used in hands-on training for students pursuing careers in EV product development and service. Attendees are encouraged to visit the booth to learn more about the college’s offerings.
WCC has been at the forefront of EV education, launching two EV-specific programs this fall and working on a new EV lab. The college is also preparing to introduce battery manufacturing and semiconductor programs to address growing industry needs.
Partnerships Advancing Mobility
WCC’s commitment to advancing mobility extends through partnerships with industry leaders like KLA, imec, General Motors, and the University of Michigan as part of the Michigan STAR semiconductor initiative. The program, supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, aims to build a skilled talent pipeline and infrastructure to support vehicle electrification.
Since 2017, WCC has been the only community college participating in the University of Michigan-led Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT), funded by a U.S. Department of Transportation federal grant. WCC applies insights from this partnership directly to its classrooms and workforce training programs.
