Retired BSC Engineering Technology Dean Frank Hart Receives ABET’s Highest Honor

Frank Hart, whose service to Bluefield State College spanned six decades, has been selected to receive ABET’s (formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) most prestigious honor—the Linton E. Grinter Distinguished Service Award.

According to ABET’s website, the Linton E. Grinter Distinguished Service Award “honors an individual whose rare commitment and enduring impact has made ABET a better organization.”  The award is ABET’s highest honor. 

“I embraced the experiences I gained working with ABET and used those experiences to improve programs at BSC,” Hart said.   “ABET is the gold standard in program accreditation.  Keeping engineering technology programs accredited by ABET was a goal of the College’s faculty and our industrial advisory boards.  I wish to thank Bluefield State College, and particularly the BSC engineering technology graduates and faculty for their participation in ABET activities.”  

Joining Bluefield State College in 1968, Hart was a member of the Engineering Technology faculty, then Dean of the School of Engineering Technology and Computer Science until his retirement in 2014.  He received the BSC Foundation “Outstanding Faculty Award (1996),” and he was awarded Faculty Emeritus designation (2012), receiving an Honorary Doctorate in 2016.

During his service to ABET, Hart led the Engineering Technology Accreditation’s Commission’s (ETAC) adoption of outcomes-based accreditation, and his leadership contributed to a substantial increase in the number of ABET-accredited engineering technology programs.  He also participated in 48 ABET visits as a Program Evaluator or a Team Chair.  At present, Hart serves as Adjunct Accreditation Director for Engineering Technology Programs for ABET.

A Virginia Tech graduate (1967—Bachelor of Science) (1968–Master of Science), the 2021 Grinter Award honoree is a Fellow of both ABET and the American Society of Civil Engineers.  He coached Little League baseball for more than 20 years and was a member of many Bluefield-area community development committees.

Hart received the Linton E. Grinter Distinguished Service Award during the 2021 ABET Awards Celebration, which was held on October 30.