Investing in the Benjamin M. Statler College of

Investing in the Benjamin M. Statler College
of Engineering and Mineral Resources
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
On January 12, 2012, West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and
Mineral Resources received an unprecedented gift of $34 million from mining
engineering alumnus Ben Statler and his wife, Jo. This gift was matched with
$11 million dollars from the state of West Virginia’s Research Trust Fund,
bringing its total value to $45 million. In honor of this gift, the WVU Board of
Governors voted to rename the College the Benjamin M. Statler College of
Engineering and Mineral Resources.
This transformational gift from the Statlers helped catapult the College into
the forefront of America’s engineering and energy-research institutions. But
there is still work to be done. The people and industries of the state expect
much from us: knowledge, research, boldness, bright ideas, and bright
graduates. With your generosity and commitment, we can meet and exceed
these expectations.
The Benjamin M. Statler College of
Engineering and Mineral Resources:
A State of Minds
N
early 125 years have passed since
in a challenge-filled and opportunity-rich future,
engineering was added to the curriculum
and changed the way we marshal our research
at WVU, and there is little that an engineer of
and intellectual capital—our State of Minds—to
1887 would recognize in our technology-driven,
serve the people and industries of West Virginia.
high-velocity, global environment. The basics still
We have added a wealth of new multidisciplinary
apply, of course: forces, physics, and energy. And
programs, added additional talented faculty
engineers are a forward-looking bunch—show them
as teachers and researchers, and added new
something that works better than what they know,
students—now more than 3,000 are learning
and even if they were hard-pressed to imagine it,
here—to become the leaders of tomorrow in
they will still adopt it, adapt it, understand it, and
engineering and mineral resources.
make it work even better than better.
All of this progress has brought us growing
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This College is all about opportunity,
national recognition overall as well as national
about giving bright kids the chance to
Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and
prominence in areas ranging from biometric
become an engineer and to help build
Mineral Resources have a similar mindset. As the
engineering to advanced materials; from coal,
world has changed (and, of course, engineering
gas, and oil to alternative fuels; and from cyber
the future—no matter where they begin.
is very often how the world is changed), we
security to nanotechnology. Each of these things
have changed ahead of it. Changed the ways
will be very important for the citizens and
in which we educate our students, changed
businesses of West Virginia as we bring our State
the technologies and approaches we use to
of Minds to bear on the goals of growing and
continue to reflect what practitioners will find
diversifying our economy.
The students, faculty, and staff in the
The Trajectory
of Success
W
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e have a healthy respect for our core
for the 21st century. And we are completely
education to meet that competition. Our students
values and traditions at the Statler
focused on outcomes, on opportunities, and
must learn more, learn sooner, and learn faster.
College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.
on collaboration with other areas of this great
Undergraduate programs must become more
Two that stand out: an absolute commitment
university and other leading-edge thinkers in this
sophisticated, interdisciplinary, and problem-
to the quality of our programs—nothing is ever
great state and beyond. The Statler College has
based. Graduate programs must become more
added until we are confident that we can do it as
an exceptional group of alumni who are leaders
cutting-edge, more informed by research.
well or better than our peer institutions—and a
around the country and around the world, and
value-added approach for our students and their
we greatly value our connections to that well of
College—partnered with you—must continue
careers. We have a greater-than-average number
wisdom and experience.
to invest in new facilities, new programs, and
of first-generation university students in West
The past decade has seen tremendous success
For any of that to happen, the Statler
new collaborations. Our resources must match
Virginia, and we have always been dedicated
and growth at the Statler College, and this is
the talents and aspirations of our students and
to providing exceptional opportunities to every
our moment to leverage that strength with the
faculty. And our outcomes must directly benefit
student, helping them go farther and achieve
combined power of the Statlers’ vision for creating
the economic health of West Virginia. Only
more than even they imagined.
the nation’s premier school in engineering and
then—and only with you—will our State of
energy research and your vital generosity to create
Minds be complete. The Statlers’ gift has put
table. Everything that is better, smarter, more
a burgeoning engine of change and innovation.
the College in a powerful position to achieve
experiential, more connected to the community,
In all the disciplines of engineering and energy
ever more for our students, our state, and
and more likely to lead to innovation is in the
research, we face strong and accelerating
our world. Together, we will build upon our
mix. We have no interest in the accepted wisdom
international competition. We must do more at
tradition, our potential, and the demonstrated
unless it can be proven to be the best course
both the undergraduate and graduate levels of
commitment of our alumni.
That being said, everything else is on the
The people and industries of West Virginia expect much from us: knowledge,
research, boldness, bright ideas, and bright graduates. We can and will
exceed those expectations—but only with your generosity and commitment.
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Priorities
for Tomorrow
he Benjamin M. Statler College of
T
Student Enrichment
Engineering and Mineral Resources has
During the next decade, the Statler College will
identified a list of essential funding priorities
grow enrollment to more than 4,000 students
through A State of Minds: The Campaign for
without sacrificing student quality or accessibility,
West Virginia’s University that, with your vital
while increasing diversity. The Statler College
support, will power our accomplishments in
has implemented a successful program to attract
education and research in the coming decades.
National Merit Finalists and other exceptional
As does everything at the Statler College, they
students through targeted scholarship support.
begin with students and go on to address our
However, the program is limited by the size of our
many responsibilities to our community. These
endowment. In keeping with national challenges,
priorities center around creating future-focused
we must increase the number of domestic graduate
the number of doctoral students over the next
facilities, attracting the best and the brightest
students attending our institution. Graduate
decade. To continue our momentum in student
(students and faculty), educating students
students perform the work that drives our
recruitment, we will seek an endowment of
well, preparing students for virtually anything,
research agenda. Furthermore, doctoral-granting
$15 million in scholarship and fellowship support.
placing them in careers where they can do well,
institutions like WVU are judged most often by
and also supporting faculty as they discover new
the number and quality of their Ph.D. graduates.
Faculty Support
ideas and create new possibilities:
Therefore, the Statler College will strive to double
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To maintain an acceptable student-to-faculty ratio,
we will increase our tenure-track faculty members
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Statler College must increase its number of
Program Investments
teaching fellowships and the “start-up packages”
Our goal is to offer educational programs that
needed to launch their research programs.
are diverse, inclusive, and pioneering and to
During the capital campaign, we will seek to
prepare students for the demands of a global
raise $15 million in private support for faculty-
economy. To achieve this we must promote
based endowments.
and grow programs in emerging fields and the
Campus Development
programs of tomorrow, while enhancing our
With past and future expansion in academic
The new Advanced Engineering Research Building.
programs, research, and the number of students
studying engineering at WVU, the Statler College
to 150 in the next decade. New and replacement
is limited in space. A new research building
hires will be made on a strategic basis to promote
is planned that will support laboratory work,
interdisciplinary approaches toward research and
classrooms, faculty space, and space for student
teaching with an emphasis on areas consistent
projects. With projected costs of at least
with the engineering challenges identified for
$41 million for a new building, the College will
West Virginia’s future. The Statler College must
seek to raise $15 million in private support, to be
also be a national leader in faculty research that
matched by public funds, loans, and grants. An
supports the efficient and full use of the energy
additional $5 million will be raised to upgrade
resources available in this state to keep America
existing facilities and furnish equipment for the
strong. To attract talented young faculty, the
new advanced engineering research building.
efforts in the fields of energy and materials
where we have existing strengths. Finding
ways to improve the clean utilization of energy
resources is vital to the economic growth of
our state and critical for the U.S. through
the latter part of this century. In order to
keep our programs engaging and relevant for
the next generation of students, we plan to
raise $35 million in private support for our
academic programs and to promote student
opportunities in design, research experiences,
and participation in national competitions.
In all the disciplines of engineering, we face strong and accelerating
international competition. Our students must learn more, learn
sooner, and learn faster. Undergraduate programs must become more
sophisticated, interdisciplinary, and problem-based. Graduate programs
must become more cutting-edge, more informed by research.
At the Tipping Point
things, ready and able at the tipping point that
grow the economy of our state and nation, and to
leads to a premier institution for engineering
bring prestige to our institution.
and energy education and research, a place
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Simply put, it can’t continue to happen and
sought out by scholars, students, and faculty
continue to grow without you. A State of Minds:
from around the globe for its quality and vision.
The Campaign for West Virginia’s University is a
With your support and commitment building
collaborative effort. Our minds and our vision
upon the Statlers’ vision, we will continue to
must be in sync, and we must call upon you to
create a college where more than 4,000 students
help complete the funds and bolster the energy
from diverse backgrounds will engage in an
that will take us to our goals. A century and
exciting and cutting-edge learning environment
a quarter has taken us from steam power to
with renowned scholars in their respective
nanotechnology—what could be more exciting
fields. To ensure the success of our students as
and more rewarding than beginning the next 125
better, stronger, more global, or more engaged
practitioners, we will offer educational programs
years together in our aspirations?
with our state. And we have never been
that are diverse, inclusive, pioneering, and
more aware of the competition we face, the
oftentimes multi-disciplinary. Our vision includes
my honor and privilege to lead the Statler College
challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and
a dedicated corps of distinguished endowed
at this momentous time. In West Virginia and in
the responsibilities we owe to our community.
professors who will engage and challenge our
this school, tomorrow is already here.
With the extraordinary generosity of Ben and
students to achieve their ambitions, to improve
Jo Statler, we are fueled and primed for great
the state of humankind through their research, to
s we pass our 125th year, the teaching of
engineering at WVU has never been
My thanks for your belief and generosity—it is
Eugene V. Cilento, Ph.D.
Glen H. Hiner Dean
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
West Virginia’s healthcare epicenter, its flagship of service, its brain trust.
Home to some of the most innovative and forward-thinking minds in the
country, WVU serves the world by first serving its state. We have emerged as
a leader in solving today’s most complex problems, and we are ready to share
our State of Minds with the world.
A State of Minds: The Campaign for West Virginia’s University is about
investing in the values, ambition, intellect, and mindset that define one of the
most exciting universities in the country. With support from alumni, friends,
foundations, and partners, West Virginia University will be in a position to
lead the national and global dialogue on energy, health, the environment, the
economy…and so much more.
West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution.
Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
Office of the Dean
Evansdale Drive | P.O. Box 6070 | Morgantown, WV 26506-6070 | 304-293-4157 | cemr.wvu.edu
One Waterfront Place, 7th Floor | P.O. Box 1650 | Morgantown, WV 26507-1650 | 304-284-4000 or 800-847-3856 | www.astateofminds.com