RIPON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Ripon College is launching its first engineering program.
It comes as crews are working on the $24.5 million expansion on the Franzen Science Center.
It’s scheduled to open in 2024 and will have more than 5,000 square feet dedicated to the engineering program, including computer facilities, fabrication and electronic design spaces for prototyping, a makerspace, senior design studio and an additional 2,000-3,000 square feet of collaboration space. Also included in the newly renovated science center will be expanded lab spaces that enable new curricular offerings in biomedical science and biochemistry.
“Ripon College isn’t just growing campus spaces,” said John Sisko, Ripon College vice president and dean of faculty. “We are making curricular expansions to meet the educational needs of current and future STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) students. The physical needs of the engineering program as well as state-of-the-art facilities for all of our science programs were integral considerations throughout the entire design process for the new building.”
The new engineering program promises to provide a strong technical engineering foundation where students can major or minor in another field.
The college will also establish an Engineering Advisory Board, comprising regional industry partners. This advisory board will help optimize Ripon’s engineering program to best suit the technical needs of the region, offer internships and co-op programs to students and ultimately help create a path to employment for graduates.
The Franzen Science Center is part of a larger plan that includes a new on-campus stadium and upgrades to the undergraduate residence halls.
