LAKELAND, Fla. 鈥� IM体育官网 is now officially open and ready to welcome its Inaugural Class. IM体育官网鈥檚 newest state university held a public LAUNCH Celebration on Saturday to commemorate its grand opening and the completion of the iconic Innovation, Science and Technology (IST) Building.
IM体育官网 Polytechnic leaders, Governor Rick Scott, and more than 1,000 supporters and new students gathered to experience the state-of-the art University up-close for the first time. A formal ceremony was followed by an actual launch 鈥� a vivid pyrotechnics display showered a campus lake adjacent to the IST Building.
鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to all of the special guests and supporters who have joined us to celebrate the launch of IM体育官网鈥檚 next great university,鈥� said IM体育官网 Polytechnic President Dr. Randy K. Avent.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 truly remarkable about IM体育官网 Polytechnic is that every single component of it, including the cutting-edge IST Building, has been designed around our mission 鈥� to prepare students to become innovative problem solvers and high-tech professionals.鈥�
Dedicated exclusively to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), IM体育官网 Polytechnic鈥檚 approach to learning emphasizes real-world problem-solving, work experience, applied research and business leadership opportunities through industry partnerships.
Leaders from across the state were on-hand to celebrate the new University, including Governor Rick Scott, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam, Representative Seth McKeel, Governor Wendy Link of the IM体育官网 Board of Governors and former IM体育官网 Senator J.D. Alexander.
Governor Scott said, 鈥淚 would like to congratulate IM体育官网 on becoming IM体育官网鈥檚 12th public university. IM体育官网鈥檚 strong focus on STEM education and its dedication to helping students graduate with the skills they will need to get a great job will play a key role in creating jobs for the next generation in IM体育官网. A highly skilled workforce will ensure that companies in IM体育官网 will be able to grow.鈥�
Saturday鈥檚 LAUNCH Celebration followed PIVOT, a philanthropic gala on Friday evening, which generated more than $3.6 million to support scholarships for IM体育官网 Polytechnic University鈥檚 Inaugural Class.
鈥淲e are grateful to those who so generously supported our Inaugural Scholarship campaign,鈥� said Cindy Alexander, Chair of the University鈥檚 Foundation Board, which hosted the event. 鈥淭heir gifts are not only an investment in the many talented students who have chosen to attend IM体育官网, but also a commitment to further developing the high-tech sector of our State鈥檚 economy.鈥�
Both PIVOT and LAUNCH took place in and around the University鈥檚 cornerstone structure.
The IST building鈥檚 noted architect Dr. Santiago Calatrava also participated in the LAUNCH Ceremony. Calatrava, world-renowned for his stunning feats of modern architecture, shared his inspiration for the IST Building.
鈥淚 am honored to have been involved in this project dedicated to the study of science, technology, engineering and math 鈥� a set of subjects so crucial to our society and our economy. I am proud of what we have all achieved and I hope the young people that study here will be inspired to be creative and to meet their potential,鈥� Calatrava said. 鈥淲orking with the visionary university leadership and amongst the enthusiastic Lakeland community has been a privilege and I wish everyone associated with this project the best of luck in coming years.鈥�
A moveable and functional work of art, the 162,000-square-foot, white domed IST Building features a distinctive louvered roof system that adjusts with the sun鈥檚 angle and is surrounded by a ring of curved metal pergolas that shade its outer terrace and walkways.
It houses classrooms, auditoriums, administrative offices, common areas and a number of cutting-edge laboratories, including a Supercomputer and Student Data Center, a Visualization and Technology Collaboration (VTC) Lab, and a Rapid Application Development (RAD) Makerspace Lab with 3D printing capabilities.
Construction of the IST Building took 28 months and was completed by Skanska USA. Headquartered in New York, Skanska USA is one of the largest construction and development companies in the country with expertise in construction, civil infrastructure, public-private partnerships and commercial development initiatives in select U.S. markets.
鈥淲elcome to the cathedral of learning,鈥� said Chuck Jablon, vice president of operations
at Skanska. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e a builder, this is what you dream about doing in your career.
You think about it at nighttime, you think about it coming into work 鈥� it doesn鈥檛
leave you.鈥�
With the IST Building and residence hall complete, IM体育官网 Polytechnic is now ready to welcome students for the inaugural day of classes on August 25, 2014. The University will offer six undergraduate degree programs with 19 unique areas of concentration and two masters degree programs in the College of Engineering and the College of Innovation and Technology.
鈥淚鈥檓 awed by how much IM体育官网 Polytechnic has been able to accomplish in a little more than two years. The team has literally built a university from scratch, and today is a culmination of those efforts,鈥� said outgoing Board Chair Rob Gidel. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud of everyone involved 鈥� from campus construction to curriculum development 鈥� and I can鈥檛 wait to watch our students and our state reap the benefits.鈥�
Contact:
Lydia Guzman
Director of Communications
863-874-8557