By Renuka Christoph
Nashville, Tenn. (TSU news service) – Tennessee State University Engineering Student Mariah McKinney has been selected to attend 3Dexperience World 2026, one of the industry’s leading global conferences for designers, engineers and cutting-edge technology innovators. Hosted by Dassault Systèmes, a leading French software corporation, the week will be held in early 2026 and will attract thousands of participants from around the world.
As a rising junior in mechanical engineering, McKinney will engage with an international community and 3DEXPERIENTER user. The week-long event offers hands-on technical sessions, professional certifications, keynote presentations and networking opportunities with top engineering and product development professionals. For McKinney, which has mechanical design, simulation and digital engineering tools, this opportunity is truly transformational.
“This conference represents a huge step in my growth as an engineer,” shared McKinney. “I’m excited to represent TSU on such a global stage and learn from the experts who are shaping the future of design and innovation.”
The opportunity came via Nashville-based design engineer and presenter Kara L. Tucker at the 3Dexperience world conference this year. Tucker received a special “plus one” conference ticket, which highlighted the strength of Nashville’s engineering community, giving the Tsu-Anyorship a mission to support a female or gender marginalized engineering student.
Tucker’s generosity covered all expenses for McKinney, including conference registration, hotel accommodations, meals and travel.
“I wanted to use this opportunity to uplift a deserving young engineer from my community,” Tucker said. “Mariah’s passion, discipline and curiosity made her the perfect choice. She will make TSU proud.”
Faculty and staff in the College of Engineering, McKinney’s selection reflects both his exceptional talent and the strong industry partnerships Tsu continues to cultivate. They noted that opportunities like these provide students with high-impact professional development and help prepare them to compete in the global engineering workforce.
“This is a high-impact professional development experience that prepares our students to compete globally,” he said. “Mariah’s selection also demonstrates the level of support we receive from industry leaders and alumni who believe in the potential of our students.”
With access to cutting-edge tools, training, and experts shaping the future of engineering design, McKinney prepares to take invaluable knowledge back to your coursework, peers, and future career.
As he prepares to take the national stage at 3DEXPERIENTIENCE WORLY 2026, McKinney represents not only his own ambitions, but the excellence of TSU’s engineering programs.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity and the support behind it,” said the Southfield, Michigan, native. “It motivates me to work hard and open doors and open doors for the next generation.”
