New Engineering Building Breaks Ground For Construction
President Dr. Zulma Toro was joined by Dr. Ju Kim, Dean of the School of Engineering, Science, & Technology, Governor Ned Lamont and CSCU President Mark Ojakian for the groundbreaking.
September 17, 2019
As the rain was pouring down throughout the Central Connecticut campus, several gathered by Elihu Burritt Library to witness the groundbreaking ceremony of a new engineering building.
The $62 million academic building will help to enhance the growing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs on campus with seven classrooms, 47 offices, 12 laboratories and a large lecture hall. The four-tier structure will cover 93 thousand square-feet and is estimated to be complete by March 2021.
CCSU President Dr. Zulma Toro, recalls, during her ceremony speech, that it was raining during the groundbreaking ceremony of the newly-renovated, “wonderful” Williard-DiLoreto Hall and saw it as a positive omen for the future of the engineering building and the community.
“This state-of-the-art building will enable us to expand our academic offerings in engineering. Therefore we anticipate our enrollment in the School of Engineering, Science, & Technology will grow,” Dr. Toro stated. “We will be providing the state of Connecticut with more individuals who can support economic development of our [state].”
Mark Ojakian, president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, and Governor Ned Lamont further supported the ways in which the building will become “an investment” for not only the Central Campus but for the state as a whole.
“We all know that investing in [STEM] is critical towards our state’s economic future,” Mark Ojakian, president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, shared. “With this building the state is really putting its money where the mouth is.”
Lamont continued with similar ideals; he believes the creation of an engineering building will be important for not only the students but also “key to the future of the state.”
Compared to other states, Lamont argues Connecticut has “the best trained, most productive, best educated workforce in the world. That is Connecticut’s calling card and that is what CCSU does.” To support his statement Lamont called upon the success of Pratt And Whitney and Stanley Black and Decker and their projects involving various types of engineering.
“Connecticut workers continue to think and they are as entrepreneurial as business entrepreneurs. We get our best ideas on how we can do things better from the folks that are on the floor,” Lamont continued.
Kosta Diamantis, director of Office of School Construction Grants & Review for Department of Administrative Services, emphasized that the building will develop the skills of various engineering styles for students, including mechanical, civil, electrical and robotic.
“It’s more than a building, it represents a modern step for the university and an important recruitment tool for future engineers here in Connecticut,” Diamantis shared.
Central Connecticut’s Engineering Department remains hopeful of the opportunities given by the project. an potential jobs it will produce in the future.
“As the demand of skilled work force in engineering and technology is continuously increasing in Connecticut, we believe that the State of Connecticut is making a great investment with a guaranteed return,” Nidal Al-Masoud, department chair, shared.
“Most of the CCSU Engineering graduates stay in Connecticut after graduation, as a matter of fact, many of the students get full-time employment offers even before officially completing their degrees,” Al-Masud continued.
He cited the 2016 – 2026 State of Connecticut Occupational Projection List, emphasizing mechanical engineering as a “hot job” and Aerospace Engineering as “high in demand” with expected growth in demand of 23.8 percent, which is approximately 1,478 new jobs, for mechanical and 20% for aerospace.
“The engineering department is, perhaps, the faster growing department on campus. Space is precious to us so it will be a real benefit,” Engineering Professor Peter Bauman expressed, highlighting specifically the various, new laboratories featured within the new building.
“I think it will make us a more attractive program to have a more up-to-date laboratory space,” Bauman continued. With the new addition, dividing space between the building and Copernicus Hall “if we move some of our activities into the new building that means there’s an opportunity for us to have new space or someone else.”
Despite delaying the start of construction, which according to the original plans was supposed to begin in August 2017, Bauman calls the groundbreaking a “significant” start to the construction, calling it a confirmation to the department’s new beginning.
“The new building will make a great impact on the CCSU, the only public university besides UCONN to offer Engineering Degree,” Al Masoud added.
“The positive impact will not be limited to providing students with the highest level of hands-on experiences and academic support, but also the new facility will enable faculty to share their expertise with students, foster new relations with industry partners and conduct their research,” Al-Masoud concluded.
