|
When Rice Hall, the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science’s planned information technology engineering (ITE) facility, opens its doors, it will signify the launch of a new era in information science and engineering research and discovery at U.Va. Complete with a stadium-style auditorium, a cyber lounge, computer labs, a courtyard, and laboratories and classrooms that can be dynamically reconfigured to support new ideas and projects, Rice Hall will provide a state-of-the-art home for the School’s leading ITE experts and students alike.
Helping to take the Engineering School to these new heights is A. Thomas (“Tom”) Young, former president and chief operating officer of Martin Marietta Corp. and retired executive vice president of aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin Corp.
A 1961 graduate of the School’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, Young has made aerospace engineering research his life’s work. When Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin) offered to contribute a total of $1 million to as many as 10 charities of his choice, Young opted to allocate the total amount to the establishment of Rice Hall.
According to Young, there was never any question as to where he would direct the generous gift. “I feel so strongly about U.Va. and the Engineering School that it was really not a hard decision,” he says. “The Engineering School was a big factor in my success throughout my career, and I selected the information technology engineering facility because it’s the best way to enhance the School.”
In addition to Young’s support and Lockheed Martin’s generosity, a number of SEAS alumni and friends have stepped forward to give momentum to the ITE project — most notably, Paul and Gina Rice, for whom the facility will be named. Other generous supporters include Lee Ainslie and Mike Pausic, J. Davis Hamlin Jr., the Ellis Olsson Memorial Foundation, and Andy and Susan Cohen.
“The generosity of SEAS alumni and friends is energizing,” says Dean James H. Aylor. “With this continued support, the Engineering School is accelerating into a leadership position in the field of information technology engineering.”
|
