STAR Award for DMT's Mike Appio
Mike Appio, a longtime instructor and chair of De Anza's Design and Manufacturing Technologies (DMT) Department, has been named this year's De Anza College Educator of the Year by the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce, which presents annual STAR awards to individuals who make outstanding contributions to the community.
The award recognizes Appio as a student-focused instructor who helped build the DMT program into a regional powerhouse – known for combining innovative curriculum and cutting-edge equipment to prepare students for highly skilled manufacturing jobs. He and other STAR award winners will be honored by the Chamber
of Commerce at a black tie event on Friday, Nov. 8.
Appio's “deep commitment and dedication to our students extend beyond the classroom,” said Manisha Karia, dean of Business, Computer Science and Applied Technologies.
“He often arrives early and leaves late so his students have the opportunity to work on their projects,” she added. “He ensures that they are not only gaining knowledge but also trains them to gain confidence and skills they need to succeed in the industry.”
The DMT program offers courses, certificates and associate degrees in such fields as computer-aided design, computer numerical control (CNC) machining and 3D printing. Students have gone on to work for NASA, Apple and other big tech companies, contract manufacturers and start-ups. Some have started their own firms. (Watch for a new video highlighting the DMT program – coming this week. It's part of a series on De Anza's Career Training programs, produced by the Office of Communications.)
Along with serving full-time students, the DMT program offers short courses that provide training for aspiring or working machine tool operators who want to gain new skills, as well as professional development training for high school and college instructors who want to teach about automated manufacturing and related processes.
During Appio’s tenure, the department has forged partnerships with leading makers of manufacturing equipment and software. Those efforts include securing a $1 million grant for expanding classrooms and labs from the Gene Haas Foundation, named for the founder of Haas Automation, a top CNC machine tool maker.
The department also won a $525,000 grant from the National Science Foundation in 2022, designed to address the growing need for skilled manufacturing workers by supporting development of new courses and certificates. The grant also provides mentoring for students from historically underserved populations, and courses for instructors at other colleges – ultimately providing more training opportunities for students across the region.
Appio attended De Anza himself, graduating in 1984 with a degree in Machine Tool Technology/Tool and Die. He began teaching part-time in 2003, became a full-time instructor in 2006 and has been department chair since 2008. He’s also served on state and national panels for technical education, and was recognized with a 2016 Excellence Award from the national League for Innovation in the Community College.
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Appio and other department members used their 3D printing skills to produce thousands of components that were assembled into face shields for health care workers.
“He is a very humble contributor who works diligently behind the scenes,” said Karia, who called Appio “a true pillar” of De Anza’s DMT program.
(Posted on Oct. 21, 2024)