You’re invited to a pair of events marking the start of construction of the largest building on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station.
Groundbreaking takes place Friday at 3 p.m. that will convert the present Zachry building into a $168 million dollar engineering education complex.
Dean of the College of Engineering Dr. Katherine Banks says this will be the only building for undergraduate engineering students.
In addition to the groundbreaking, you’re invited to a first ever college of engineering tailgate party Saturday afternoon starting at 3:30. Dr. Banks says the purpose is to allow current and former students and the public take a last walk through the present building and to write a note for a time capsule.
Click below for comments from Dr. Katherine Banks, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.
Additional information courtesy of the Texas A&M College of Engineering
The groundbreaking ceremony for Texas A&M University’s Engineering Education Complex is Friday, November 14, 3 p.m. on the north lawn of Zachry Engineering Center at University Drive and Spence Street.
Speakers include: Former student, Astronaut Mike Fossum, Texas A&M Student Body President Kyle Kelly and future student, Chace McEachern. Remarks by: Chairman of The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents Phil Adams, Chancellor John Sharp, Vice Chancellor and Dean of Engineering Dr. M. Katherine Banks.
Also in attendance will be the pioneer donors, current and former students who have contributed $50 million to start construction. This includes the Student Engineers Council, SuSu and Mark Fischer’72, Amy and Tim Leach’82, and John Zachry of Zachry Holdings, Inc.
The Zachry Engineering Center, which was dedicated in 1972, is being completely renovated and expanded to become the Engineering Education Complex. Construction will begin February 2015 and is expected to be complete December 2016. When completed, the Engineering Education Complex will be the largest academic building on the Texas A&M campus and serve as the heart of undergraduate engineering education at Texas A&M when classes resume in the building in the spring of 2017.
The $168 million facility supports the college’s 25 by 25 initiative. It will provide a modern, comfortable and flexible learning environment, as well as a place for students to congregate and work together on projects. The facility is a key component of the college’s efforts to transform engineering education to better prepare today’s digital natives to solve world problems through more experiential learning.