You can typically find Crane, the Electronics and Computer Technology Department Chair at Arapahoe Community College, more often than not in the electronics and computer lab working with technology-minded students. He focuses on the participants and makes sure they get the education and training they deserve by pulling from his vast array of skill-sets.

Remarkably,Crane has protected our national security as an Army specialist. He has worked with Boeing as an industrial engineer. During the dot-com boom he was a critical field engineer with a global telecommunications company. Furthermore, he even created a program to teach his electronics and technology skills at Dodge City Community College.

This summer, Arapahoe Community College hired him as a new department chair. He is ACC's new Electronics and Computer Technology Instructor. He was instrumental in the origination of the program which earns students the Associate in Applied Science degree.

"Mark has the can-do attitude and depth of experience necessary to prepare our students for the many high-wage, high-skill, high-demand electronics and computer technology positions available in Denver," saidACC Interim Dean of Business and Professional Services Janna Oakes. "We are thrilled to have him at the helm of this program."

"Once my students sign up, start understanding the complexities and get involved with the program, they just love it." Crane said.

The students benefit from having Mark Crane as their educator as well as all the additional equipment ACC has provided. The college has purchased new state-of-the-art training equipment for the Electronics and Computer Technology program, including six interactive training systems that will guide students through the intricacies of mastering electronic fundamentals and circuit boards.

Crane has managed to place several students in jobs who haven't even graduated from the program yet. He cares about not only about their education, but also about their futures. Because he has first hand experience working in the industry, in many different venues, he provides his students with real world experience. He also knows employers who are looking to fill jobs. He is in touch with the industries job openings and feels that there are not enough graduates to fill all of the opportunities because this program is so new.

Cranefeels that the graduates from his program will have a variety of professional opportunities, such as: computer-based medical equipment, avionics, robotics, IT networking, computer peripheral maintenance and remote industrial machinery.

Crane offers his e-mail address to anyone who would like to chat with him about his program at ACC; e-mail him at mark.crane@arapahoe.edu, or you can find him in the lab.

Toni DeVolder is the interim communications coordinator at Arapahoe Community College.