More than 300 members of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville community and tri-state region gathered to celebrate the opening of Sesquicentennial Hall – UW-Platteville’s newest, $55 million state-of-the-art engineering building – at a ribbon-cutting celebration on September 1.
“While showcasing our strengths in the recognition of more than 150 years of being Pioneers in education, Sesquicentennial Hall marks the beginning of a new era for UW-Platteville,” said UW-Platteville Interim Chancellor Dr. Tammy Evetovich. “Sesquicentennial Hall will not only attract more students, but most importantly, provide more hands-on learning experiences that will forever change the future of our students and university.”
Interim Chancellor Evetovich thanked a number of supporters and partners who made this project a reality, including the UW System, the Wisconsin Department of Administration, alumni and corporate partners, and local state legislators. Wisconsin State Senator Howard Marklein and Representatives Travis Tranel and Todd Novak were instrumental in gaining approval for the funding in the 2017-2019 state budget.
“Simply put, Sesquicentennial Hall transforms how we teach and learn. This building is a true Pioneer,” said Interim Chancellor Evetovich.
Sesquicentennial Hall adjoins Busby Hall of Engineering, creating a 200,000-square-foot state-of-the-art complex that supports interdisciplinary engineering and computer science. The building itself was intentionally designed as a teaching tool, with select pieces of visible infrastructure, sustainability features and a phone-based app to provide more information. At the center of the building is the Huff Family Innovation Center, one of the Midwest’s largest makerspaces, at nearly 20,000-square-feet. The space will provide opportunities for students and community members to share ideas, collaborate and build prototypes.
“This building is a big deal to the taxpayers of Wisconsin,” said UW-Platteville College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science Acting Dean Dr. Philip Parker. “Our state’s economy is increasingly a technology-based economy and can only be successful with a strong engineering workforce.”
In addition to Interim Chancellor Evetovich and Parker, speakers at the event included Senator Marklein, Representative Tranel, Department of Administration Secretary-Designee Kathy Blumenfeld and environmental engineering student Dani Goomey. The event was emceed by Dr. Jessica Fick, assistant dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science.
UW-Platteville is a top Wisconsin engineering school, graduating the second largest number of engineering degrees in the state, with more than 500 every year. UW-Platteville offers seven ABET-accredited engineering programs. For more information about Sesquicentennial Hall, visit www.uwplatt.edu/sesquicentennial-hall.
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