Community generosity powers hands-on learning through 'Tech Engineering for Kids'
Tennessee Tech University’s "Tech Engineering for Kids" program has earned recognition for combining hands-on engineering education with service to Middle Tennessee children with special needs. Now, community donors are helping expand the program’s impact for both students and families.
“The Tech students get course credit, and the children referred to us receive custom-designed and custom-built tools to assist with their individual needs,” said Stephen Canfield, the mechanical engineering professor who founded the program more than 25 years ago.
From sensory boards and adaptive play equipment to adjustable seating and task-specific prosthetics, students in the program design and build a wide variety of assistive devices tailored to each child’s needs. Families receive the equipment at no cost, but materials and supplies are essential to bringing the projects to life.
Recent gifts from local supporters, including engineer and Tech alumnus Richard Carlton and Cookeville pediatrician Dr. Satya Chakrabarty and his wife, Sangita Chakrabarty, reflect a shared commitment to investing in student learning and programs that make a lasting difference in the community.
Mohan Rao, chair of Tech’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, expressed gratitude for the donors’ generosity and continued support of the program’s mission.
“Tech Engineering for Kids is a really good program — an exceptionally good program,” Carlton said. “What these students are doing as undergraduates is comparable to graduate-level work that I’ve seen.”
Carlton’s engineering career led him to found a company focused on patented solar technologies in Silicon Valley, but he said the Engineering for Kids program immediately stood out because of its emphasis on real-world problem-solving.
“The program connects students directly with clients, allowing them to design solutions for actual needs rather than theoretical problems,” he said. “That’s pivotal. That’s not just textbook learning — that’s hands-on learning.”
The Chakrabartys, who have practiced medicine in Middle Tennessee for nearly three decades, said the same philosophy that guides their professional lives also inspires their philanthropy.
“We want to help children in every way possible. There’s a ripple effect when you invest in others,” Dr. Satya Chakrabarty said.
The couple also pointed to personal experiences that influenced their decision to support the program, including the encouragement and support they received from Tech faculty after moving to the area.
“We have been fortunate to be part of this community, and Tennessee Tech has contributed positively to our lives over the years,” Sangita Chakrabarty added.
The donors said the program helps students connect classroom learning with meaningful community impact — a lesson they believe stays with students long after graduation.
“Students can see what they learn in class and put it to use,” Sangita Chakrabarty explained. “When they see that, they learn faster, and they never forget that experience.”
Carlton added that the program mirrors the kind of collaborative, client-focused work students will encounter throughout their careers.
“They’re using their talent not just to invent something for the sake of inventing it,” Carlton said. “They’re listening to what the world needs.”
For both Carlton and the Chakrabartys, supporting the program reflects a broader belief in service, education and community investment.
“When people give, it makes a difference," said Satya Chakrabarty.
Carlton said that seeing the program's impact motivated him to encourage others to support it as well.
“After I saw all of the good this program was doing for both the Tech students and the children whose needs are being served, I became compelled to try to get others to donate,” he said.
Those interested in supporting material costs for the Tech Engineering for Kids program can visit Tennessee Tech’s giving website or call 931-372-6102.
Learn more about Tech Engineering for Kids at www.techengineeringforkids.com.