(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)

The megaship wasn’t the only human-made marvel drawing attention in West Seattle today. It was photo-op time at the Aviation Maintenance Tech building of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) this afternoon, as the college celebrated a big donation from Boeing – a Pratt and Whitney 777 engine (previewed here last Friday). SSC president Gary Oertli said the gift was a big reminder of the many partnerships that help fuel the school’s success:

On behalf of Boeing – which had never before donated an engine to a college – Robert Thayer from the propulsion unit spoke.

He had some warm words for SSC welding students who were there; they fixed the stand on which the donated engine sits.

After an hour-long open house, the celebration moved next door to another of SSC’s crown jewels, the Northwest Wine Academy. The Aviation Maintenance Tech program now has more than a dozen aircraft and 70 engines utilized for hands-on teaching of the 175 students served by the program each year, pursuing educational pathways from an Associate of Applied Science to an Aviation Powerplant Mechanic Certificate.