Less than $1 million is needed to fully fund the M.T. Geoffrey Yeh Student Center, a planned 20,500-square-foot addition to Nathan M. Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory that will be entirely student-focused.  CEE at Illinois is calling on all alumni to meet the challenge posed by alumnus M.T. Geoffrey Yeh (BS 53), who promised a $4 million naming gift if fellow CEE alumni would contribute $3 million in additional funds.

New classrooms, a conference room, meeting rooms for student groups, and a spacious atrium with seating for informal gathering are all part of the design, which was finalized this summer.  The goal is to improve the student experience by providing CEE students with a designated “home” on campus where they can attend class, hold student group meetings, study and collaborate on projects, and meet informally.  Currently, CEE classes are held in various buildings across campus.

 The Yeh Center will also serve as a living laboratory with links to the physical structure where displays fed by wireless sensors will show long-span vibrations, energy consumption, and other unique features of the building directly applicable to the students’ learning experience.  The addition will meet the standards for a silver certification through LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a program administered by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Thanks to the $4 million gift from Yeh, $1 million from the College of Engineering, $1 million in CEE funds, and additional alumni gifts totaling approximately $2 million, the department is less than $1 million away from its goal of $9 million, which will completely fund the project.  Construction is expected to begin in spring 2010 with the move-in set for April 2011.

Chicago-area design firm Teng & Associates Inc. will complete design and construction documents for the Yeh Center this fall.  The company has been involved with the project for more than a decade, having done the initial sketches in the 1990s.  The design that will be implemented is very close to that one, with a few adjustments to reflect the department’s growth and changing needs, including bigger classrooms and a tiered lecture hall instead of an auditorium.

The construction of the Yeh Student Center will fulfill the original vision for Newmark Laboratory, which included plans for an additional structure for classrooms.  At that time, budget constraints prevented its realization.  Thanks to the generosity of CEE alumni, the department is closer than ever to achieving this vision.

Make a gift online to the M.T. Geoffrey Yeh Student Center in Newmark Laboratory or, for more information, please contact: