A recent donation to the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana (UAHT) Industrial Maintenance Technology program is not only being used to educate new students but is also carrying on a family tradition. Stephanie McCoskey recently donated a Clausing Colchester Collet lathe and a Bridgeport milling machine to the College that belonged to her late father, Rick Bateman. One of the students learning to be a machinist using these tools is Bateman’s grandson, Elijah Barragan.
Bateman was a 1965 graduate of Garland High School in Garland, Texas. He then went to the University of Texas at Dallas and studied business. “While in college Dad began working in machining and found his passion in life,” said McCoskey. Bateman managed a multimillion-dollar manufacturing company in Dallas for over thirty years. He supervised numerous projects with industry giants such as NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, Texas Instruments, and Aerospace to name a few.
“My family is proud to donate this equipment to help train students in the field my father loved so much,” said McCoskey. “But what makes this so special to us is that my son, Elijah Barragan, who grew up helping his grandpa work on these machines, is now being trained on them in the UAHT Industrial Technology program. It’s touching to see this family tradition being carried on by Elijah and impacting the lives of other students as well.”
Elijah, a sophomore at UAHT, is pursuing a Technical Certificate in Industrial Maintenance Technology with a focus in machining. “These machines mean a lot to me because I grew with my grandpa teaching me how they functioned and how to use them properly,” said Elijah. “It means a lot to me to know that these machines will be instrumental in teaching many more students the trade my grandfather loved. I know he would be proud that we donated these machines that will help other students and myself for years to come.”
For more information about the Industrial Maintenance Technology programs at UAHT, call 870-777-5722 or visit uacch.edu.
