Donation of electric vehicles will help Pitt State Automotive students 

Longtime professor Jim Triplett was known for his dedication to student learning opportunities, and that didn't change even after his death: his beloved 2003 Honda Insight, one of the first electric vehicles in town, has been donated to the School of Automotive & Engineering Technology at Pittsburg State University. 

Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) is now one of the many teaching focuses of the Automotive Technology program. It’s on tap to expand in coming years. 

Triplett (BS '66, MS '68) dedicated many years of his life to sustainability and conservation measures and championed the installation of the first electric vehicle charging stations on campus and downtown. His wife, Shirley, also a longtime professor, knew donating the vehicle would provide students with hands-on experiences. 

“I want to find ways to honor him in ways he would appreciate,” Shirley said. “This allows him to keep teaching; he would love this.” 

Kelly Burgess and Shirley Triplett

At the same time, Kelly Burgess (BST '01), who has given back in many ways to the program in recent years, also donated an electric vehicle – a 2011 Chevy Volt that his son had owned and that had been involved in a traffic accident. 

“What makes this car unique is that it is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. It has an engine and a battery system, so it can be plugged in to charge and drive short distances, and then gas kicks in for long distances,” he said. “It was the first General Motors plug-in hybrid vehicle that was commercially available.” 

When Burgess stepped forward to donate and install a charging station in downtown Pittsburg a few years ago, it was Triplett who helped him secure a location at the Colonial Fox Theatre; Triplett showed up in his Honda Insight. 

“He was way ahead of his time,” Burgess said. “His vehicle was the first generation of hybrid vehicle to come to the U.S. Both of our cars represent a foreshadowing of what the industry was moving toward.” 

“I see this as a ‘lemons to lemonade’ event,” he added. “We’re transforming these cars into something very positive for students at Pitt State.” 

In accepting the cars, Professor Trent Lindbloom from the School of Automotive & Engineering Technology said they will be great training aids. 

“These generous donations mean a lot to our learning process. It’s one thing to talk about it in the classroom, but it’s another thing to have the components and vehicles themselves,” said Lindbloom, who oversees the HEV program.

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