George Mason University is building a $60 million facility to house its new Volgenau School of Information Technology and Engineering.
The new school is part of a larger effort to expand the university by leveraging its expertise in engineering and IT and combining it with biosciences, said Daniel Menasce, associate dean for research and graduate studies.
With 95 percent of faculty research funded by the government, the school would “like to diversify our portfolio and have more interactions and collaborations with the private sector,” Menasce said.
GMU plans to hire additional faculty, establish partnerships with corporate sponsors and start a new bioengineering initiative.
At 180,000 square feet, the new building will be the second-largest on the campus, with about 20,000 square feet of space available for lease to six to eight technology and engineering firms.
By the end of the year, two companies are expected to announce plans to move in, according to Jennifer Lamb, the school’s development director.
Menasce said new coporate partnerships could provide students with more internship opportunities and in turn provide local companies with employees.
“We’re very excited about this new building. … It will be a hallmark of the campus,” said Menasce, who hopes the investment will boost the enrollment of about 4,000 students.
The project got a jump-start with a $10 million donation — the largest personal donation in the university’s history — from Ernst and Sara Volgenau in October 2005.
Ernst Volgenau is the chairman of Fairfax-based technology company SRA International Inc.
Since then, the school has hired five faculty members and will continue to increase its staff of more than 100 faculty.
“George Mason is going to be able to produce more tech students that will meet the needs of more tech companies today. … It will have a great impact,” said Gerald Gordon, president and chief executive officer of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.
Clark Construction started building the new facility in June, and a groundbreaking celebration took place last week.
Completionis expected in time for the fall 2009 semester.
