Media report UMaine engineering center receives $1 million gift
The Portland Press Herald, Mainebiz and the Associated Press reported the University of Maine has received a $1 million gift for a new engineering center that will include space for mechanical engineering technology and manufacturing skills. The gift from aerospace company Pratt & Whitney will help fund construction of a machine tool suite in the E. James and Eileen P. Ferland Engineering and Design Center, according to the article. “This gift will allow our mechanical engineering technology students to gain the hands-on experience that they need to be effective from day one in their careers,” said Dana Humphrey, dean of the College of Engineering, in a release. “It is so appropriate that Pratt & Whitney named this space since they hire so many of our engineering graduates. I am deeply grateful for the strong and long-standing relationship between UMaine engineering and Pratt & Whitney.” The engineering center is currently the highest capital priority for UMaine’s Vision for Tomorrow campaign — more than $67 million has been raised to date of the estimated cost of about $75 million, according to the Press Herald. “This gift moves our project forward, and supports our goals of fostering learner success and bringing research into the classroom,” said UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy, who noted that UMaine has a 99% placement rate for engineering graduates in careers or graduate school. “We are deeply appreciate of Pratt & Whitney’s vision and support of the future of engineering education in Maine,” she said. Centralmaine.com published the Press Herald article, and Bangor Daily News, News Center Maine, WABI (Channel 5), Maine Public, Houston Chronicle and Miami Herald carried the AP report.