SDI pledges $1.5 million to Trine engineering expansion

The Steel Dynamics Foundation Inc. has pledged $1.5 million toward Trine University’s engineering facility expansion.

In honor of Steel Dynamics’ generous support, the new 40,000-square-foot expansion will be named the Steel Dynamics Inc. Center for Engineering and Computing.

“The continual growth of our business requires a ready supply of well-trained engineers, and many who have contributed to the success of Steel Dynamics have come from Trine University,” said Mark Millett, president and CEO of Steel Dynamics Inc. “We are pleased to support this expansion in Trine’s facilities and programs, and look forward to the benefit this will provide, not only to SDI, but to industry throughout the region.”

“We are grateful for the SDI Foundation’s history of support, and are eager to see the dividends this new investment in Trine University will pay for the greater Fort Wayne area, the state of Indiana and the Midwest as a whole,” said Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., Trine University president. “The partnership of SDI and many other generous supporters is vital as we continue to provide a quality higher education during these challenging times.”

A longtime supporter of Trine University, the Steel Dynamics Foundation Inc. has provided major gifts toward the Steel Dynamics Inc./Keith E. Busse Athletic and Recreation Center and the Thunder Ice Arena. The foundation also has funded a scholarship program at Trine and supports the annual Scholarship Gala.

In addition, Steel Dynamics Inc. provides internships, co-op and employment opportunities to Trine students.

Enrollment in the Allen School of Engineering and Computing has risen 72 percent over the past decade to nearly 1,000 students, with engineering students accounting for more than 40 percent of Trine’s main campus student population. The new expansion to Trine’s facilities will help prepare skilled professionals in critical high-tech areas such as hardware and software development, computer networking, cybersecurity and health informatics.

Designs for the $12.5 million project feature state-of-the-art technology, flexible labs and classrooms, an active learning lab with a maker space to foster creativity, and bright, open spaces for collaboration and conversation, including a new gathering point and cafe available to the entire campus. The new area is intended to become a focal point at the center of campus and a showcase for student work.

Last Updated: 04/05/2021