Engineering Labs Completed

I had the opportunity to follow the construction of Milligan's new engineering labs from start to finish. During the summer before this report, I received a tour of the labs at the very beginning of their construction. My video of the construction zone ended up being used for another reporter's package when I was producer of StampedeTV. About six months later, the labs were completed and I had the opportunity to tour them once again.

Read my report on the Stampede Online

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Renovation work to Emmanuel’s B.D. Phillips building in preparation for Milligan’s new engineering program is now complete.

“Work began in early July and was substantially complete by the end of the year, with a few final touches in early January,” said Brent Nipper, director of property and risk management.

The project converted auditorium space in the lower level of the building into four labs. A machine shop is also in preparation. The lab space includes an applied specialization lab and a project design lab for each of the two engineering majors: mechanical and electrical.

The applied specialization lab will be used to give students experience in operating the equipment they learn about in the classroom while the project design lab will be used for planning solutions to the world problems that will be presented in the senior capstone courses.

“Milligan’s engineering program is heavily hands-on focused,” said Greg Harrell, director of the new engineering program. “We want to make sure that the students not only get the theory but they also get the practice and application.”

Milligan is currently planning to get the equipment for the labs over the upcoming spring and summer, Harrell said. Some of the equipment will include an air compressor, an HVAC system, a boiler, a refrigeration chiller, pumps, fans, and more.

Most of the lecture-based classes will be conducted on the second floor of the building in classrooms shared with seminary classes as well as courses in Milligan’s new physician assistant program that was announced last Wednesday.

The first freshman level classes for the engineering program will begin in August. Harrell will teach all of the classes at first while Milligan searches for five more professors for the program. That search has already begun.