Board Chair Gracelyn McDermott, C'93, Trustee Robert Dondero, C'74, Trustee Joseph Dowd, C'92, State Delegate William Valentine and President Tim Trainor in front of the beam that was signed by honored guests, alumni, students, faculty, administrators and staff.
It’s out with the shovels and hard hats and in with the permanent markers at the beam-signing ceremony on April 28 to dedicate the construction of a $10.75 million, 21,000-square-foot addition to the Coad Science Building. Construction of the addition will begin as the spring semester ends and will be completed by the fall of 2024. A fiberglass beam, signed by the guests at the ceremony, will be displayed in a prominent place in Coad during construction before being incorporated into the addition’s structure.
The addition will include neuroscience, computational and environmental research labs as well as collaborative spaces, being built in the first phase of the project. The second phase will build out the second and third levels of the expansion with additional science labs, classrooms and experiential research spaces. The third phase will involve the renovation of the existing space in the Coad Science Building.
“The addition to Coad will provide a state-of-the-art learning environment for the Mount’s STEM programs, enabling programmatic expansion consistent with STEM profession demands, and helping the university continue to attract and retain outstanding faculty and students,” said President Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D.
Built in 1964, Coad is a three-story 50,100 square foot building serving the School of Natural Science and Mathematics, which has outgrown the existing space and needs to be renovated for modern STEM pedagogical practices. The new classroom and lab spaces will be technology-rich, multi-use, flexible and configurable for a variety of instructional formats and class sizes.
“We are fortunate to have experienced tremendous growth in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics over the last several years thanks to the hard work of our students, faculty, and staff,” said Dean of the School of Natural Science and Mathematics Christine McCauslin, Ph.D. “I look forward to the road 
ahead as we build on our trajectory of success and gain recognition as a leading STEM educator whose graduates are highly sought after and prepared to make a positive impact on the world.”
Specific goals for the expansion include a design that promotes circulation and spontaneous interaction; is flexible and adaptable; and provides natural light where STEM students and faculty in action can see and be seen.
The Coad expansion and renovation project is being funded by donations to the Our Mission, Our Moment, Our Mount Campaign and a $2 million grant from the State of Maryland, in conjunction with donations made in support of the project through the Forward! Together as One Campaign. A lead donation from George B. Delaplaine, Jr. will provide the collaborative space, to be called the Delaplaine Family Academic Commons. Other top-level donors to the expansion project are the Page Family Foundation; Trish and D.J. Monagle, both C’84; Paula and Fred Neuer, M.D., C’67; and Christina Lee and Mark Sobus, J.D., Ph.D., C’89.
Stantec Architecture, based in Butler, Pennsylvania, designed the expansion plan. Construction is being managed by JEM Group, LLC, based in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.