IV.
Equipment Endowments
Gifts to the Equipment Endowment Fund help the COE meet its commitment to provide the highest quality engineering and computer science education with modern, well-equipped facilities and equipment for hands-on learning in labs and design courses.
Institutional funding at MSU is quite limited for equipment upgrades. We rely on private and corporate donors who value engineering education and see the benefit of helping prepare future engineers to solve industry’s and society’s problems. These endowment funds equip labs and classrooms with tools to train engineers in both traditional and evolving technologies (nano-technologies, new chemical processes, digital communications as well as design and application software for computer science). All engineering specialties rely heavily on computers and software (which becomes obsolete in 2-3 year cycles) to support increasingly complex electronic and technical applications. Obsolescence in other types of equipment and technology varies widely, but the need for updating and upgrading remains constant.
“Engineering the Future”
Equipment Endowments for MSUCollege of Engineering
Supporting People, Performance, and Place
Ask students why they come to MontanaStateUniversity, or alumni what they value most about their education here and their answers have a common theme, quality education and abundant opportunities for hands-on learning in labs, design courses, cooperative education programs, and internships. These are our strengths and we believe the most important reason for considering an endowment gift to support the College is your desire to help us continue to excel in these areas. The COE enjoys a 100+ year history of graduating skilled professionals renowned for their impressive work ethic, and ready to bring their personal and professional resources to bear to solve industry and society problems. Set apart from other state engineering colleges (and many private colleges, as well) MontanaState is characterized by the extraordinary success and loyalty of its alumni. Our engineering and computer science alumni have great pride in their degrees and we have great pride in your collective professional accomplishments and willingness to give back to support COE programs and initiatives.
To provide the highest quality engineering and computer science education, modern and well-equipped facilities are an absolute necessity. MSU engineering curricula is quite broad with nine degree programs in engineering and computer science, ranging from the undergraduate level through the Ph.D. in engineering. All students use our engineering and computer science labs for hands-on learning, and well-equipped facilities ensure our ability to provide excellence in engineering and computer science education, preparing our students to serve industry and society. Computers and associated software are integral to engineering and computer science coursework. They are used throughout the college in both labs and in classrooms. And as technology changes, they must be upgraded to support student learning.
Engineering endowment funds enable us to equip labs and classrooms with tools to train engineers in both traditional and in evolving technologies (nano-technologies, new chemical processes, digital communications, as well as design and application software for computer scientists). Classrooms with labs within the three engineering buildings at MSU must be equipped with a full range of equipment, from complex machine operations for civil engineering and mechanical engineering design and testing labs, to sophisticated test equipment for electrical and computer engineering bend testing and design processes. All engineering specialties, including computer science, rely heavily on computers and software to support increasingly complex electronic applications. Obsolescence in computers and software occurs in 2-3 year cycles and it varies widely for other types of equipment.
Equipment maintenance and upgrades are very expensive. Institutional funding at MontanaState is quite limited for equipment upgrades. Thus, we increasingly rely on private and corporate donors who value an engineering education and who see the benefit of helping prepare future engineers to solve society’s problems.
Each department within the college has immediate needs and a long “wish list” of equipment that will enhance the learning environment for MSU’s engineers and computer scientists. Gifts to the college’s equipment endowment offer naming opportunities to donors. Named equipment endowments may be established through gifts of cash, gifts of stock, gifts of appreciated property, through planned gifts or estate gifts. They may be established to benefit a particular department and/or to honor or memorialize a loved one.