The first Micron Day, held at Syracuse University Feb. 25, showcased the innovation and growing momentum of the technology company’s transformative investment in the community and the deep connections being made with the University and Central New York.
“Today is more than just the event. It’s about building a future, a future where innovation thrives, where opportunities abound and where our community prospers,” said Jeff Rubin, senior vice president for digital transformation and chief digital officer, during his welcoming remarks. “And at the heart of the future is the powerful synergy between Syracuse University and Micron.”
A Micron Day participant tries on a virtual reality headset. (Photo by ana gil studios)
As part of Micron’s $100 billion plan to transform the Central New York (CNY) community into the nation’s leading producer of semiconductor fabrications, the University is a key collaborator in building and training the workforce for Micron’s leading-edge memory megafab in Clay, New York.
Micron Day brought together hundreds of University faculty, staff and students; community members; local high school students and Micron employees to explore the collaboration between the University and Micron Technology and learn about the opportunities Micron is bringing to Central New York.
The day included a number of panel presentations and exhibitions featuring University programs and degrees and community organizations. One of the day’s highlights was the announcement by Micron and the University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) that 90 transitioning servicemembers, veterans and military spouses have achieved a certificate of completion in semiconductors through IVMF’s Onward to Opportunity program.
An alumni panel, moderated by Sarah Newton-Klitz, Micron’s director of strategic workforce programs, was composed of three University alumni: Kim Burnett ’91 (Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics), Micron’s lead for K-12 STEM education outreach; Joe Nehme ’11 (Whitman School of Management), senior manager of external affairs; and Savion Pollard ’25 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), equipment engineer. Pollard, a U.S. Navy veteran, was Micron’s first Central New York hire.
Micron Day alumni panelists Kim Burnett ’91, Savion Pollard ’25 and Joe Nehme ’11
Burnett’s education includes child development, industrial and labor relations, business and science education, including a long career as a teacher. Nehme works with stakeholders to advocate for the company as federal, state and local governments begin to take a more active role in reshoring semiconductor manufacturing. Pollard is a current senior in ECS, majoring in electrical engineering with a minor in computer science. That, combined with his experience in the U.S. Navy, has helped him build skills that prepared him well for the semiconductor industry.
“You can see here that this is just a sampling of the different job opportunities that Micron has available,” said Newton-Klitz. “And when I think about even the experience at Micron, it really is a little city that has a variety of jobs that we need.”
Burnett has experienced the power of a good job has on the experience of a family. “I want to be sure that folks, particularly children, have an opportunity for a good paying job,” she says.
Nehme is an Upstate New York native and has seen the manufacturing that has been lost in the region over the years. “To work for a company that is committed to reshoring semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States, in my hometown, I saw no better opportunity,” he said.
All of the panelists said their time at Syracuse prepared them well for their roles at Micron. “So much of my time in Whitman was built around working in teams, collaborating with others; to troubleshoot and solve problems,” Nehme said. “And those are all things that I deal with and that we look at every day in my role here at Micron.”
Their advice for students? Focus on your passion and the things that you like out of the activities that you do. Continue to invest in yourself, be open, curious and coachable.
J. Michael Haynie (center), the University’s vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Whitman School of Management, moderated a discussion with Scott Gatzemeier, Micron’s corporate vice president for front-end U.S. expansion, and April Arnzen, Micron’s executive vice president and chief people officer and president of the Micron Foundation. (Photo by ana gil studios)
To close out the day, J. Michael Haynie, the University’s vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Whitman School of Management, moderated a discussion with April Arnzen, Micron’s executive vice president and chief people officer and president of the Micron Foundation, and Scott Gatzemeier, Micron’s corporate vice president for front-end U.S. expansion, to talk about what’s ahead.
The future for the semiconductor industry, Gatzemeier said, is in artificial intelligence. “That’s what’s driving huge amounts of demand for our product and also customization and collaboration with a number of partners in our space that we’re very, very excited about watching this growth continue,” he said.
That growth requires a workforce of epic proportions throughout the industry. “We started partnering early,” said Arnzen. “We know it is going to be a challenge, and so scaling up existing pathways—engineering, science and math programs—is going to be very important. Creating new pathways and opportunities for people to access these careers is part of our strategy as well.”
The University is one of four nationwide university networks that Micron works with to modernize the curriculum and create hands-on learning opportunities to build a talent pipeline.
Arnzen said one of the differentiating factors for Central New York region and the University was the commitment to veterans and those transitioning from military service. “We knew that this ecosystem existed and the know-how existed as well,” she said.
Haynie talked about the role of community, alluding to a previous reference as the Micron project as Central New York’s “Erie Canal moment.”
“We know that a healthy and thriving community is important for a healthy and thriving business,” Arnzen said. “This is definitely an Erie Canal moment, both for this community and frankly, for Micron too. We have the opportunity to do this well, to do it right and make sure that this lasts for decades to come.”
