Trine University breaks ground on Pellegrino Student Design Center

With its namesakes in attendance, Trine University broke ground on what university President Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., hailed as “a launching pad for innovation, creativity and collaboration.”

Trustees, administration, faculty and donors celebrated the groundbreaking of the new John and Mary Pellegrino Student Design Center on May 2.

“This facility represents a major leap forward for Trine University and our commitment to hands-on learning and career preparation,” Dr. Brooks said. “We'll give our students an opportunity for a wide range of disciplines, from engineering to business and design technology and the opportunity to bring ideas to life in a space purposely built for teamwork, problem solving and discovery.”

Located west of Best Hall, the $15 million, 22,000-square-feet facility will include a new state-of-the-art robotics lab, an aeronautics lab and a powertrain lab, among others.

More than 8,000 square feet of project fabrication space will allow the university to accommodate more and larger projects completed by senior teams in the Allen School of Engineering and Computing.

In addition to the building cost, the Pellegrino SDC will include $1.5 million worth of design and fabrication equipment that will allow the university to meet the needs of industry partners as well as student teams. Trine University also will be able to expand workforce training opportunities for area high schools and businesses.

The building is expected to be complete in about 16 months.

Loyal alumni

The facility name recognizes the generous support of John Pellegrino, who graduated from Trine University in 1960 with a civil engineering degree, and his wife Mary. The Pellegrinos attended the groundbreaking along with their son, John Jr., who is a member of the Board of Trustees.

 “John and Mary have continually remained loyal, interested, committed and engaged in our institution for all these years,” Dr. Brooks said. “Now, the Pellegrino Student Design Center will serve as a hub for experimental learning and industry collaboration. This building will help Trine grow, drawing in more high-achieving students and deepening our connections with industry and community partners.”

In addition to the Pellegrinos, Dr. Brooks offered thanks to Ken Wilson and JICI; the architects at Design Collaborative; Mike Bock, Trine University’s vice president for special projects; and Angola Mayor Dave Martin.

“We're so blessed by the generosity of many donors and visionaries that are here with us today who believe in this project and believe in its lasting impact,” he said. “To every donor: We thank you for believing in the power of education, the strength of community and in the promise of the next generation. We can't wait to thank you further with the dedication of this facility.”