Challenge Grant

AE CHALLENGE GRANT AIMS AT CONTINUING EXCELLENCE
AE Newsletter - Fall/Winter 2000
One of the top-rated architectural engineering programs in the country, Penn State boasts what many other institutions can only dream about: It is the largest of the fourteen (and growing) number of AE programs in the country; it is the only department offering a doctoral degree in architectural engineering; it hosts the largest architectural engineering career fair in the country; and it is one of the few universities that offers its undergraduates the opportunity to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in a special five-year integrated degree program. But Architectural Engineering Department Head Richard Behr and alumnus Gene Bard (AE ’68) think it can be even better. For the Department to reach an even higher level of excellence, Behr and Bard both believe that it needs a source of funding that allows AE the flexibility necessary to capitalize on new opportunities. Bard, who is today president of Bard, Rao & Athanas in Boston, decided to start the Architectural Engineering Academic Excellence Endowment. The endowment provides funds to the department head to respond to unexpected opportunities and to develop and support architectural engineering’s cutting-edge strengths. The funds may be used to recruit new faculty, equip new laboratories, support student conferences and programs, or seed new, exciting research initiatives. Behr says the Department pays for many student activities. For example, in February the structural engineering student group took a field trip to New York City for a special tour of the World Trade Center that was led by the structural engineer, Les Robertson, who designed the towers. The Department also pays for an “options social,” bringing in professionals from AE specialties such as structural, mechanical, lighting/electrical, and construction management to chat with students and offer them advice on which career path is best for them. Many other special student activities are supported each year by the AE Department. The recent move of the industrial engineering and engineering science and mechanics departments to West Campus freed up additional space for AE. Although the University has completed some basic renovations to the now empty spaces in Engineering Unit B, Behr plans to convert the added 5,000 square feet into instructional laboratories, demonstration spaces, meeting areas, and graduate student office/work station areas. Behr cautions that doing this, however, isn’t without significant cost. The new AE Academic Excellence Endowment will go a long way to help meet these expenses, but the fund itself is still a work in progress. The endowment is carefully invested by the University. The investment creates a steady stream of income for the Department, and a portion of the return is placed back into the endowment principal, ensuring the fund’s continued growth ahead of inflation. Bard has created a “challenge grant”- putting down the first $100,000 if AE alumni and friends can come up with an additional $100,000. Charles Matts (AE ’56) has already responded to Bard’s challenge and contributed $50,000 to the new department fund. “It sounded like a good idea,” says Matts. “They’re trying to build the program and I wanted to help out.” Behr says it’s the generosity of alumni such as Bard and Matts that will ultimately make the difference for the Department. “It’s all of the extra things that Penn State architectural engineering does that makes this department so special,” he says.

AE CHALLENGE GRANT AIMS AT CONTINUING EXCELLENCE

AE Newsletter - Fall/Winter 2000

One of the top-rated architectural engineering programs in the country, Penn State boasts what many other institutions can only dream about: It is the largest of the fourteen (and growing) number of AE programs in the country; it is the only department offering a doctoral degree in architectural engineering; it hosts the largest architectural engineering career fair in the country; and it is one of the few universities that offers its undergraduates the opportunity to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in a special five-year integrated degree program.

But Architectural Engineering Department Head Richard Behr and alumnus Gene Bard (AE ’68) think it can be even better.

For the Department to reach an even higher level of excellence, Behr and Bard both believe that it needs a source of funding that allows AE the flexibility necessary to capitalize on new opportunities.

Bard, who is today president of Bard, Rao & Athanas in Boston, decided to start the Architectural Engineering Academic Excellence Endowment. The endowment provides funds to the department head to respond to unexpected opportunities and to develop and support architectural engineering’s cutting-edge strengths. The funds may be used to recruit new faculty, equip new laboratories, support student conferences and programs, or seed new, exciting research initiatives.

Behr says the Department pays for many student activities. For example, in February the structural engineering student group took a field trip to New York City for a special tour of the World Trade Center that was led by the structural engineer, Les Robertson, who designed the towers. The Department also pays for an “options social,” bringing in professionals from AE specialties such as structural, mechanical, lighting/electrical, and construction management to chat with students and offer them advice on which career path is best for them. Many other special student activities are supported each year by the AE Department.

The recent move of the industrial engineering and engineering science and mechanics departments to West Campus freed up additional space for AE. Although the University has completed some basic renovations to the now empty spaces in Engineering Unit B, Behr plans to convert the added 5,000 square feet into instructional laboratories, demonstration spaces, meeting areas, and graduate student office/work station areas.

Behr cautions that doing this, however, isn’t without significant cost. The new AE Academic Excellence Endowment will go a long way to help meet these expenses, but the fund itself is still a work in progress.

The endowment is carefully invested by the University. The investment creates a steady stream of income for the Department, and a portion of the return is placed back into the endowment principal, ensuring the fund’s continued growth ahead of inflation.

Bard has created a “challenge grant”- putting down the first $100,000 if AE alumni and friends can come up with an additional $100,000.

Charles Matts (AE ’56) has already responded to Bard’s challenge and contributed $50,000 to the new department fund.

“It sounded like a good idea,” says Matts. “They’re trying to build the program and I wanted to help out.”

Behr says it’s the generosity of alumni such as Bard and Matts that will ultimately make the difference for the Department.

“It’s all of the extra things that Penn State architectural engineering does that makes this department so special,” he says.

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