Saint Martin’s University Receives Major Gift from Community Bank

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 Submitted by Saint Martin’s University

St Martins Cebula Hall
Saint Martin’s University Cebula Hall

A $100,000 gift toward the second phase of the Saint Martin’s University Engineering Initiative has been pledged by local community bank Olympia Federal Savings, University President Roy F. Heynderickx announced today. The initiative’s second phase will fund construction of a new $2.7 million industrial laboratory building.

“Olympia Federal Savings leadership gift provides important momentum midway through our campaign effort,” Heynderickx says. “We are very grateful to them for supporting our vision of new facilities to support our growing enrollment in engineering.”

Saint Martin’s University launched its $10.2 million Engineering Initiative in 2010, with the first phase earmarked to fund construction of a new $7.5 million “green” engineering building, Cebula Hall. The cutting-edge, teaching and learning engineering facility – dedicated April 22, 2013 – was designed to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum certification. This past fall, it earned the distinction of being the highest-rated LEED -certified building in the Western Hemisphere.

With the second phase of the Engineering Initiative nearing completion, the University plans to break ground this fall on a 14,000-square-foot industrial laboratory building that will house the facilities necessary for civil and mechanical engineering students to conduct hands-on experiments with fluids, manufacturing, robotics and mechatronics, soils and materials testing. The building also will include a technology classroom, regular classroom and faculty offices.

Olympia Federal Savings has a long history of philanthropy and leadership with Saint Martin’s University.  President and CEO Lori Drummond serves on the Saint Martin’s University Board of Trustees, and retired presidents and CEOs Wayne Staley and Ed Wack also served as University trustees. The bank has been a benefactor of past capital projects, including Cebula Hall, Charneski Recreation Center and the O’Grady Library, and is a staunch sponsor of the University’s community events, such as the Saint Martin’s Gala and Jingle Bell Run 5k.

“Olympia Federal Savings’ commitment to giving back locally is certainly demonstrated with this generous gift,” says Heynderickx, “and we thank them for their ongoing commitment to this institution and its OlyFed cornerstudents.”

Katie Wojke, interim vice president of institutional advancement, says the Olympia Federal Savings gift provides a major boost for the initiative, bringing the second phase total to $1.5 million, more than halfway to the $2.7 million goal.

“We are so blessed to have Olympia Federal Savings, its board members, and employees and customers as part of our greater community. Saint Martin’s University relies on alumni, friends and organizations like Oly Fed to support our efforts in educating the current and next generation of students,” she says.

Zella Kahn-Jetter, Ph.D., P.E., dean of the Marcus School of Engineering, says, “We have seen a 39-percent growth in engineering enrollment since 2009. It is expected that the industrial lab will continue to attract students who want to study civil and mechanical engineering, and engineering management. The industrial lab will also house a technology classroom for those students pursuing a degree in computer science.”

 

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