The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation awarded $2 million to the Idaho State University College of Technology capital campaign on Thursday. The money will be used for the renovation of the ISU William M. and Karin A. Eames Advanced Technical Education and Innovations Complex.
“We applaud the ISU College of Technology leadership and commitment to providing certificates, credentials, and degrees that lead to meaningful employment opportunities for its graduates,” said Roger Quarles, executive director of the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation. “The foundation believes that ISU’s and College of Technology’s commitment to expanding these types of educational opportunities will pay big dividends to our state.”
ISU plans to relocate a number of College of Technology programs into the 150,000-square-foot Eames Complex to meet a growing interest, and enrollment, in technical education. The University wants to make it the premier center for technical education in Idaho.
The complex, located in the ISU Business and Research Park, is named after William M. and Karin A. Eames, longtime College of Technology and ISU supporters, and $2.5-million donors to this facility. With this move, programs that are currently located on various parts of the ISU campus will now be in one location.
The total cost of fully renovating the facility and moving programs is estimated to be about $22 million. Renovations began in June 2017 and are ongoing.
College of Technology programs that will initially be moved to the complex include automotive collision repair and refinishing, computerized machining technology, automotive technology, diesel on-site power generation technology, computer-aided design drafting technology, and welding.
“There’s never been a time in our history quite like this one,” said Scott Rasmussen, dean of the College of Technology. “We are embarking on a new era in the College of Technology. This gift from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation will be a monumental step forward.”
Disclaimer: Idaho Education News is funded by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation.
