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As demand for highly skilled graduates continues to grow, Baldwin Wallace University has earned city approval to begin construction on a new building to house BW's mathematics, computer science, engineering and physics programs south of the observatory on North Quad.
After BW refined the project's scope and location to meet the University needs and city requirements, the Berea Planning Commission gave BW a green light to move forward at its April 18 meeting.
"We have worked to be responsive to the questions and concerns of neighbors and city leaders throughout this process," said BW President Bob Helmer. "The end result will be a campus project that will benefit Northeast Ohio and make us all proud."
The
extraordinary
new
two-story
facility
will
bring
together
data
science,
artificial
intelligence,
mathematical
modeling,
cyber
security,
engineering
and
physics
in
a
modern,
light-filled
space.
The state-of-the-art, approximately 55,000 square-foot building will feature larger advanced computer and robotics labs, as well as flexible, collaborative, high-tech group workspaces that foster innovation and mirror real-world industry settings.
"The building design will facilitate the project-based learning and interdisciplinary connections that prepare students to succeed, while enabling us to build deeper partnerships with industry," said Helmer. "By equipping students for careers that are reshaping our future, we can empower graduates to lead in ways we can only begin to imagine today."
A 2018 report by regional economic development organization Team NEO showed that many good-paying jobs in the computer and information technology (IT) sector go unfilled in the region because employers cannot find qualified applicants.
"BW is prepared to meet the growing demand in burgeoning fields like data science and applied mathematics, computer and network security, and engineering," said Helmer. "This center will provide the advanced, leading-edge tools our faculty and students need to meet that vision."
The
$25
million
building,
part
of
BW's
master
plan,
will
be
fully
funded
by
generous
donors
and
community
partners
who
enthusiastically
share
BW's
vision
for
the
leading-edge
programs
to
be
housed
in
the
space.
The construction timeline calls for the new building to open in January of 2021. "We look forward to the innovative teaching and learning that will take place in this vibrant addition to our campus," added Helmer.
