Civil and environmental engineering students and faculty at the University of Utah had reason to rejoice Wednesday as a major chunk of change was donated to expand programming and facilities there.
U. Class of 1962 engineering graduate Floyd Meldrum and his wife, Jeri, of Las Vegas, announced a $3.3 million donation that chisels significantly at the school's $5 million campaign to strengthen civil engineering. Their gift will serve as the cornerstone to help fund a 14,500-square-foot expansion of an existing laboratory and office building at the campus.
Upon completion, the expanded building will bear the Meldrum name and stand in recognition of his more than $3.5 million in total donations to the school.
"My career has its foundation in the department of civil engineering, and the lessons and experiences in those early days allowed me to build a general engineering construction business that helped many of my employees support families and build careers of their own," Meldrum said.
He and his wife are the founders of Southern Nevada Paving, an aggregate, asphalt and contracting business in Las Vegas, which they successfully operated for 41 years prior to its sale in 2003. The couple has been married 50 years.
"As many members of our family have or are pursuing careers in civil engineering, Jeri and I are pleased to contribute to the continuing growth and success of civil and environmental engineering at the U.," he said. "This contribution also recognizes the people and the profession that provided the opportunity for us to build a successful company."
The Meldrums' commitment is the lead gift in a $5 million campaign for facilities, scholarships and improvements in the department.
"We thank the Meldrums for the extraordinary gift, which will have a transformative effect on one of our key departments in the college of engineering," said U. President Michael K. Young on Wednesday.
In recent years, construction and transportation sectors have dominated the list of Utah's growth industries in the number of new jobs. The U.'s campaign to bolster the department, along with the Meldrums' donation, come at a time when higher education officials and state leaders are considering engineering initiatives to get more students interested and involved in the fields of engineering.
"Demand for highly qualified civil engineering graduates has reached unprecedented levels, and we are committed to strengthening the program," Young said.
Faculty positions in the department have increased by 50 percent, while student enrollment is up by 73 percent to a record of nearly 400 students, according to department chairman Paul Tikalsky. The department boasts that all of its graduates for the past 20 years have passed the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, a benchmark of professional competency.
"Career surveys consistently rank civil and environmental engineering near the top for future demand, stability and compensation," Tikalsky said. "As Utah and the West continue to expand, the construction and consulting industry is seriously constrained by the shortage of engineering professionals."
The Campaign to Build Civil and Environmental Engineering will provide a new home for department administration, faculty offices, student activity space as well as design studios for senior and capstone projects. Private and university funds make up $3.7 million of the goal, with $1.3 million more to go.
E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com