VANCOUVER, Wash – Washington State University Vancouver unveiled its new Engineering and Computer Science building Tuesday night to 200 guests at the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours event.
During the event 91ԹϺ announced a gift to the Engineering and Computer Science building from Columbia Credit Union. The $60,000 gift is in commemoration of Columbia Credit Union’s 60th anniversary in 2012.
“About 90 percent of 91ԹϺ students come from a 50-mile radius. They are primarily place-bound learners. As many as 15,000 WSU alumni live, work and volunteer their time in Southwest Washington and Columbia Credit Union serves more than one in four of these families. Our gift is a meaningful way to mark our 60th year of service to our members and our community,” said Colleen Boccia, senior vice president of marketing and chief deposit officer at Columbia Credit Union.
Columbia Credit Union’s gift will support a radio frequency research laboratory, a computer science open computer lab and six faculty research mini grants. In recognition of the gift, both laboratories will bear Columbia Credit Union’s name through 2016. The credit union has supported 91ԹϺ’s student scholarship program since the early 1990s. This is its first gift specifically for engineering.
“If economists’ predictions are right, waiting five years for employment to slowly eek back to pre-recession levels isn’t an option. By acting now we are setting the stage for sustainable job creation—in advance of that five-year horizon,” said Steve Kenny, president and CEO of Columbia Credit Union.
Columbia Credit Union has been involved with the Columbia River Economic Development Council’s recently released 20-year Clark County Economic Development Plan, which emphasizes the role of higher education and research in our community’s prosperity.
“Clark County’s plan is riddled with reasons for us to move swiftly and with purpose in support of local higher education—in particular, areas of study that will attract, absorb and anchor IT and software companies including mobile applications, near-field communications, multi-media and the healthcare industry,” said Kenny.
Of the 4,400 public and private institutions of higher education in the United States, there are fewer than 100 universities that have earned a Tier One classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching—the highest classification. Washington State University—including all four campuses: Pullman, Tri-Cities, Spokane and Vancouver—is ranked at this prestigious level. This classification recognizes the importance of research not only for the purpose of advancing knowledge, but in advancing the economy of our community, region, state and nation.
“Our gift’s mini-grant support will foster research and development, and innovative collaborations between 91ԹϺ faculty and high-tech companies. We hope to inspire many other local organizations to make a contribution of their own,” said Boccia.
Guests at Business After Hours had an opportunity to tour 91ԹϺ’s Engineering and Computer Science building—home to the School of Engineering and Computer Science and both the electrical and mechanical engineering programs. The $43.5 million, four-story, 56,000-square-foot building will open for classes in spring 2012.
Business After Hours was sponsored by Hoffman Construction and presented in partnership with the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and 91ԹϺ.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Rhona Sen Hoss, Office of Development and Alumni Relations, 360-546-9281, rhona.senhoss@vancouver.wsu.edu
Brenda Alling, Office of Marketing and Communications, 360-546-9601, Brenda.alling@vancouver.wsu.edu