(ANGOLA) – A special event was held Friday afternoon in Angola.

Trine University broke ground on its new John and Mary Pellegrino Student Design Center.

Located west of Best Hall, the new $15 million, 22,000-square-feet facility will include a new state-of-the-art robotics lab and allow the university to accommodate more and larger projects completed by senior teams in the Allen School of Engineering and Computing.

In addition to the building cost, the Pellegrino SDC will include $1.5 million worth of design and fabrication equipment that will allow the university to meet the needs of industry partners as well as student teams. Trine University also will be able to expand workforce training opportunities for area high schools and businesses.

The facility name recognizes the generous support of John Pellegrino, who graduated from Trine University in 1960 with a civil engineering degree, along with his wife Mary.

Trine President Dr. Earl D. Brooks II says the John and Mary Pellegrino Student Design Center will serve “both as a physical space as well as a launching pad for innovation, creativity and collaboration for not only our students, but also our faculty.”

Brooks says the facility represents a major leap forward for Trine University and our commitment to hands-on learning and career preparation. He says this will give Trine students an opportunity for a wide range of disciplines, from engineering to business and design technology and the opportunity to bring ideas to life in a space purposely built for teamwork, problem solving and discovery.

In addition to the Pellegrinos, Dr. Brooks offered thanks to Ken Wilson and JICI; the architects at Design Collaborative; Mike Bock, Trine University’s vice president for special projects; and Angola Mayor Dave Martin.