Detroit entrepreneur Jim Anderson (EN'66) wants Wayne State University students to know he's living proof Wayne State offers a 'world class education in the real world' as the current televisions ads say.

"Wayne State faculty love, live and teach in the real-world," he says. "Wayne State did a better job at preparing me to be an entrepreneur than any 'remote' university could." (Anderson defines 'remote' to be an 'ivory tower based university').

Anderson spoke to more than 300 students and parents April 11 at the downtown Detroit Marriott for the College of Engineering's Honor Convocation, an annual dinner event recognizing student and faculty achievement, scholarship recipients and givers.

Anderson, 62, is founder and president of Detroit-based Urban Science Application, Inc. with nearly $50 million in annual revenues. The firm was the first in the world to develop computer-generated dot maps printed to mylar transparences used in overhead presentations. The maps were originally produced for Cadillac General Motors, Anderson's first client in 1977, to identify customer bases for car dealer network planning.

Before approaching Anderson, Cadillac was told by others that the technology available could not do the mapping, Anderson told his audience, which included engineering faculty and staff. "What do you think this Wayne State Warrior said when Cadillac asked if it could be done? "I told them, 'I can do that.'"

For the solution, Anderson used algebra and polygons to produce the dots in geographical locations linked to the information in the computer database. "Our life in engineering is all about solving problems that have never been solved before," he says. "My Wayne State engineering training gave me a 'can do' attitude."

After graduating in civil engineering in 1966, Anderson joined the WSU faculty as an assistant professor, developing environmental models and computer mapping techniques. He earned a master's degree in 1970 with a minor in operations research.

Using his experience at Wayne, Anderson created Urban Science to apply scientific problem solving methods to marketing problems. Urban Science

today has some 300 employees with offices in nine cities throughout the world.

Recognizing his achievements in engineering and the business world, the College of Engineering inducted Anderson into its Hall of Fame in 1995.

In his talk to engineering students, Anderson attributed five decisions he made earlier in his life for his business success:

1) Choosing Wayne State for college.

2) Studying engineering.

3) Choosing to work hard and master the material.

4) Soul searching to come up with a vision for 'the perfect life of John Anderson' and creating a roadmap to it.

5) Choosing to marry Patty Decker, his wife.

Engineering sophomore David Lutz, recipient of the Kehrl Endowed Scholarship, said he liked what Anderson said. "His talk tied everything from pursuing your dreams to maintaining scholastic achievement together very well."

Attendance at the event was the highest it's ever been, according to Interim Dean Ralph Kummler. Last year the event was moved off campus and upgraded to a dinner event. More than 115 students supported with engineering scholarships were recognized at the dinner. Eighteen students received awards for scholastic achievement, and 40 for service. Twelve members of the faculty were honored.

Seniors Boban Jancevski (electrical and computer), Jason Rutyna (civil and environmental), and Cristina Piluso and Thomas Sanders (chemical and materials science), received Robert C. Wingerter Awards, the highest scholastic honor for undergraduates.

Golam Newaz and Sean Wu, professors of mechanical engineering; Vladimir Sheyman, associate professor of engineering technology; and Cheng-Zhong Xu, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, received the 2002 Excellence in Teaching Award, Engineering's top honor for faculty.