WPI Celebrates the Life and Inspirational Legacy of Robert Kern

Robert D. Kern, the founder of Generac Power Systems and co-founder of the Kern Family Foundation, died on November 8 at age 96. Mr. Kern played a pivotal role in advancing WPI’s award-winning project-based learning engineering curriculum through foundational grants and the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network, a community of over 50 engineering schools (including WPI) who are developing and scaling the implementation of entrepreneurial minded learning into the fabric of universities with both students and faculty. WPI is forever grateful for Mr. Kern’s generosity and vision of developing college graduates with an entrepreneurial mindset so they can create economic and social value through a lifetime of meaningful work. WPI sends our heartfelt sympathy to the family, friends, and the Kern Family Foundation. We look forward to our continued partnership with the Kern Family Foundation to advance Mr. Kern’s legacy on engineering education.