$8M Gift to JBU Will Help Build Facility

An anonymous donor has given John Brown University $8 million to help build a 40,000-SF facility for the university’s engineering and construction management programs.

JBU President Chip Pollard announced the donation and plans for the facility at an event at the university on Feb. 2.

“The lead donors wish to remain anonymous, in part, because they believe these funds are available only by God’s grace and that God should receive the praise,” Pollard said. “This gift is one of the largest single gifts ever in the history of John Brown University, and we are deeply grateful.”

JBU’s engineering program is one of its largest, with more than 90 majors and six faculty members.

The construction management program has 55 students and three faculty members.

Now, the programs are spread out in three aging buildings. The new facility, which is expected to take 18 months to design and build, will bring the programs under one roof, the university said.

Plans call for 20,000-25,000 SF of classroom and office space with another 15,000 SF of laboratory space, Pollard said. The program’s existing facilities only have 26,000 feet of usable space, none designed specifically for teaching engineering or construction management.

Students are expected to move into the facility in fall 2011.

JBU also said it will expand its current Keeping Faith campaign from $100 million to $110 million because of the new building project.