Eastern Mennonite University has exceeded by nearly $600,000 its $7 million goal to modernize the laboratory section of the 1960s-era Suter Science Center, said vice president for advancement Kirk Shisler in an announcement to the campus community on Jan. 17, 2014.<\/p>\n
Renovation of the 45-year-old science laboratories in the eastern wing of the Suter Science Center will begin by May 1, he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are immensely thankful for how broadly people participated in this campaign,\u201d said Shisler, crediting more than 460 alumni, friends of EMU, and foundations for their generous donations. \u201cSupporters have made possible a major transformation of our well-worn labs into high tech, state-of-the-art science space.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shisler said an anonymous challenge gift of $500,000 became available when the campaign reached the $6.8 million threshold, catapulting total commitments to $7.3 million by early December 2013. \u201cMomentum toward the $7 million goal accelerated in October and November as alumni and donors sensed that the goal was within reach, and, once achieved, would enable renovation to begin one year earlier than originally planned.\u201d<\/p>\n
With $581,000 now committed above the original $7 million goal, university leaders say they feel motivated to seek funds to renovate the western wing of Suter Science Center, which was not included in the $7 million renovation plan but was always part of the long-term plan for upgrading Suter.<\/p>\n
Like the eastern wing, the western wing needs an upgraded climate-control system, improved sprinkler system, and modernized classrooms and lecture areas, including a facelift for the iconic S-106 lecture hall (the largest on campus, basically unchanged since the 1960s).<\/p>\n
Preliminary estimates for renovating Suter\u2019s western wing show that it will cost about a third as much \u2013 about $2.6 million \u2013 as will be spent on renovating the eastern laboratory area.<\/p>\n
EMU unveiled a comprehensive plan for an entirely new science center in the summer of 2008, just as a number of America\u2019s largest financial institutions failed, marking the trough of the Great Recession. In the face of a weak economy affecting EMU\u2019s supporters, President Loren Swartzendruber said EMU needed to scale back its vision to that which its students absolutely required to prepare them for healthcare and science careers \u2013 up-to-date laboratories.<\/p>\n
Today, however, Swartzendruber feels optimistic, given the exceptional success of the $7 million campaign to renovate the laboratories. \u201cI believe our donors have shown us that now we can finish fixing up the Suter Science Center,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Shisler said the $581,000 raised beyond the $7 million goal for the laboratory wing will be applied toward the western wing renovation. In his campus-wide announcement, he expressed a “very special thanks” to the 87 faculty and staff members who have contributed $216,000 to the effort.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition to what has already been given, we are in conversation with 50 to 60 alumni and donors who have been seriously considering gifts to this campaign,\u201d said Shisler. \u201cAlso, EMU students are planning their own campaign to support this project. Thus, our intention is to build on the current momentum to move past installing the state-of-the-art laboratories and continue through completing the renovation of the Suter Science Center over the next few years.\u201d<\/p>\n
EMU officials anticipate starting laboratory-wing renovations by this May and finishing them by Dec. 1, 2015. Then \u2013 if donors step up as expected \u2013 the final renovations will begin in 2016, said Shisler, and be finished in time for EMU\u2019s big 100th birthday celebration in 2017-18.<\/p>\n
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