DU Grand Opening of the Engineering and Computer Science Building

It was a day more than two years in the making. On Friday, Oct. 14, the DU community marked the grand opening of the new home for the Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science. The five-floor, 130,000-square-foot facility features $1 million in new equipment and is a cornerstone of a new science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiative at the University of Denver. “This is a building that positions us to serve our students, to serve the problems and issues in our city, and to serve the research of now and well into the future,” said Chancellor Rebecca Chopp. The new building provides facilities for the engineering school’s growing focus on entrepreneurship and collaboration. It also allows for research, instructional space and community areas to all be housed under one roof. “This is a transformational moment for the University, but from my point of view, it is a transformational cultural moment for this school,” JB Holston, dean of the engineering school, said at the opening celebration. The opening of the new building is also viewed as a game-changer in the community. “The ambition for this building is way beyond just the education of smart kids and making them into creative and talented adults,” said Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. “Having a great impact in your engineering department is going to have a huge impact on the world.” Oct 18, 2016