VCU School of Engineering
The School of Engineering is an exemplary model of collaboration between academe and the business community. With substantial support from the state and local business community, this ABET-accredited school was established in 1996 in response to workforce and economic development needs of Richmond and Central Virginia. The state-of-the-art building houses one of the nation’s few undergraduate microelectronics and advanced materials centers.

The school’s Foundation Trustees are leaders from manufacturing, business and financial organizations in Virginia, including Infineon, Wachovia, Dominion, Alcoa, Carpenter, Albemarle, Ethyl, Ukrops, CarMax, SunTrust, Philip Morris, BB&T and Alfa Laval.

Educational approaches stress creativity, industry partnerships, strategic research and business and communication skills. The school has nearly 1,000 undergraduates and 170 graduate students. Nestled among industry and medical and life sciences centers, it offers a small class environment and boasts one of the highest retention rates for engineering schools in the country.

Campaign priorities

I. New Phase II Building: $38.5 Million
The original Phase I building was planned for 800 students. Today, it is bursting at the seams with over 1,000 students. Additional lab and classroom space is essential to meet the rapid growth in students, faculty and to bring the outstanding biomedical faculty and students onto the Academic Campus where they can more easily interact with their engineering classmates.

Joint endeavors between the new business school and the engineering school Phase II building in the new location will strengthen both programs.

Naming opportunities for the new building will cover gift categories from a broad range, including seven and six figure naming opportunities. More details will be available after June 1, 2004.

II. Faculty Professorships, Chaired Professorships and Centers: $11.5 million
With state funding for faculty salaries locked in for many years, the School of Engineering is challenged to retain and attract outstanding faculty. A great school must attract outstanding faculty. Those teacher scholars are the bedrock of a top-notch education. Professorships range from $250,000 upward. Chaired professorships range from $1 to $2 million. Interdisciplinary Centers range from $3 to $5 million.

III. Scholarships: $10 million
With outstanding students whose SAT scores range in the mid-1200s, the engineering student population is among the highest academic rankings in the university. However, over 20 percent of the students come from families whose annual joint family incomes do not exceed $30,000. Many of the current students hold down full or part time jobs in order to stay in school. Additional scholarship funding is a top priority, if we are to be able to reach out to students from all walks of life and all income levels.

IV. Bio Processing Center: $10 million in state funding
This state of the art Bio Processing Center will be linked to the current C. Kenneth and Dianne Harris Wright Virginia Microelectronics Center. Together they expand the frontiers of science between micro-chip creation and the intersections of life science and medicine. Research in the combined centers will include Nano-Technology and ultimately bring more life enhancing products to the marketplace.

Contact information
For more information, please contact Brian S. Thomas, vice president of the School of Engineering Foundation:

Engineering Building, Room 331B
601 W. Main St.
P.O. Box 843068
Richmond, VA 23284-3068
Phone: (804) 828-0067
Fax: (804) 828-9866
E-mail: bsthomas@vcu.edu
Web site: www.egr.vcu.edu

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