Back in 2018, when Washington State University began seriously discussing what the future of the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture should look like, the conversation focused on students rather than buildings or classrooms.
Specifically, student success.
Voiland College was experiencing rapid enrollment growth and increasing demand for advising, mentorship, career development, and other critical services that can keep students in school and on track to degree completion. At the same time, nearly one-third of the enrolled students were the first in their families to attend college, highlighting the importance of creating stronger support systems to help them navigate their academic and professional journeys.
From those early conversations emerged a vision that would become Schweitzer Engineering Hall: a first-of-its-kind student-centered hub designed to connect students with the resources, relationships, and opportunities needed to thrive. And this Friday, Sept. 18, the completion and opening of that vision will be celebrated with a formal dedication that salutes the nearly 100 donors, industry partners and other stakeholders that made it possible.
“The story of Schweitzer Engineering Hall is really a story of partnership,” said Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture Dean Partha Pande. “WSU supporters and industry innovators joined with state leaders because they believed in a vision that put students first. Their collective generosity transformed an idea into a landmark facility that will benefit generations of Cougs and help deliver trained graduates ready to fill in-demand jobs that will keep our state and communities thriving.”
The idea that emerged from those early discussion was both ambitious and simple: create a place where students could access the resources they need to thrive academically, professionally, and personally. It would be a center for student advising, career development, alumni mentoring, undergraduate capstone opportunities, industry engagement, student clubs, and programs that expand opportunity.
What happened next would be extraordinary.
A powerful partnership of public investment and private philanthropy emerged. The Washington State Legislature committed $40 million toward the project along with transformational support from Edmund and Beatriz Schweitzer and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories. And alongside them, dozens of alumni, corporations, foundations, faculty, staff, and friends stepped forward to help bring the vision to life.
This shared vision inspired 98 donors to contribute $40 million to transform engineering, architecture, design and computer science education at WSU.
The facility is the realization of a mission to invest in the future of Voiland College students, one that brought together visionary philanthropists, industry leaders, legislators, alumni, and friends of Washington State University to make it happen.
It now stands as a testament to what is possible when people come together around a shared purpose. Every classroom, collaboration space, advising office, and student support service inside the building exists because people believe in investing in students. Because the building that they helped create would be more more than bricks and steel.
Grand Opening
The public is invited to help celebrate the opening of Schweitzer Engineering Hall from 3-6 p.m., Sept. 18 at 150 SE Spokane St. on the WSU Pullman campus.
- 3 p.m. — Students, faculty, staff and other community members are invited to tour and explore the 66,288-square-foot building during a Community Open House.
- 4:30 p.m. — Formal dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony, featuring WSU leaders, project donors, state officials and others who helped make the vision happen.
