April 10, 2019UTSA College of Engineering to receive $500,000 for new Makerspace
The UTSA College of Engineering confirmed a commitment of $500,000 from Ed Whitacre in support of the Science and Engineering Building, currently under construction and slated to open in 2020. The new building will provide 153,000 square feet of laboratory, classroom and meeting space to support students and research in engineering, brain health, biology and chemistry.
Whitacre, former chairman of the Board of ExxonMobil, has been a generous donor to UTSA for many years.
“The UTSA College of Engineering continues to position itself to become one of the top five Engineering Programs in the state of Texas. I am pleased to assist the College as they acquire resources to train engineering students in a progressive learning environment, while exposing them to authentic project management experience,” Whitacre said.
The first floor of the building, sized at 32,650 square feet, will be dedicated to an innovative Makerspace that will include collaboration and project assembly space, a design studio, a machine shop, a 3D printing room, and cutting-edge equipment that will elevate the student learning experience in the UTSA College of Engineering. In alignment with UTSA’s mission to become a model for student success, exposure to a Makerspace with ample resources will enhance students’ knowledge of the materials, tools, resources and environments they will encounter in the professional workplace.
Mr. Whitacre’s donation will allow UTSA students to graduate with the knowledge, competitive skills set, and experience to enter the workforce and compete with engineering graduates from top performing programs across the country, as well as engineering professionals
