BGSU Opens $39M Engineering Center With Industry Tech

Engineering students at Bowling Green State University are walking into classrooms that look more like professional workspaces than traditional lecture halls.

The school just opened its new Technology Engineering Innovation Center this semester, completing the $39 million project exactly on schedule. The 24,000-square-foot addition gives students hands-on access to the same tools they'll use in their future careers, from AI labs to 3D metal printing facilities.

"Our current and future students will have the ability and the chance to use tools that are totally industry matched," said Wael Mokhtar, dean of the College of Engineering and Innovation. "It cannot be a better preparation for day one as a professional engineer."

The center houses seven new labs covering electrical engineering, virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing. Construction began in summer 2024 with the goal of opening in 2026, and the university delivered without going over budget.

What makes this building different is how it encourages collaboration. Glass walls let students peek into active labs and see what their peers are working on. Lounge areas scattered throughout the facility give teams natural gathering spots for projects and study sessions.

"You can see what everybody is doing, and students can create relationships and a sense of mutual learning," Mokhtar said. The design intentionally brings students together instead of isolating them in separate departments.

The timing couldn't be better. First-year engineering enrollment has jumped 35% over the last two years, and the building was designed to grow with demand. Each lab follows a modular approach, meaning the spaces can adapt as technology evolves and student needs change.

The Ripple Effect

This investment reaches beyond Bowling Green's campus. When universities give students real industry experience before graduation, companies get work-ready engineers from day one.

The facility matches students with equipment they'll actually use in their careers, closing the gap between classroom theory and professional practice. That benefits both graduates entering the workforce and the industries eager to hire them.

Director of campus construction Kristin Peiffer said flexibility was central to the design. "As technology and equipment needs, ebbs and flows of the academic side, each of the labs can adapt as well."

The building represents a shift in how schools prepare the next generation of engineers, prioritizing hands-on learning and real-world readiness over traditional lecture-based education. Students who graduate from these labs won't need months of on-the-job training to catch up with industry standards.

When schools invest in world-class facilities, students invest in their futures with more confidence.

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