Penn State Behrend>Research and Economic Development Center (REDC)>About the REDC>Timeline

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Research and Economic Development Center (REDC)>ABOUT THE REDC

Timeline

1987		John M. Lilley, provost and dean, proposes creation of the REDC at a news conference attended by University President Bryce Jordan and Erie Mayor Louis Tullio.

1996 and 1999		Because of its potential to accelerate regional economic development, the Erie Conference’s Community Coalition designates the REDC a “high priority” on the wish list of capital projects it submitted to the governor these years.

December 2000		The GE Fund of Fairfield, Connecticut, awards the college a two-year, $176,000 Learning Excellence Grant to integrate business and engineering education.

December 28, 2000		Governor Tom Ridge commits $30 million, the largest-ever state capital investment in Erie County, to the REDC in a Knowledge Park news conference. “Today we make a powerful pledge to our talented young Pennsylvanians: Stay here. There’s work here,” Ridge told the audience. “For too long, we’ve watched as our best and brightest have left Pennsylvania for opportunities that didn’t exist here. But, today, those opportunities—those good-paying jobs—can be found right here at home.”

September 2002		The Penn State Board of Trustees gives preliminary approval to REDC building plans created by architect Weber Murphy Fox, Inc., in consultation with NBBJ, Columbus, Ohio. Although the largest Penn State facility outside of University Park, architects carefully design a structure that does not dwarf the other 51 buildings on campus.

January 2003		The college offers its first Small Product Realization course, a weeklong, off-campus program to help business and engineering students cultivate the interdisciplinary skills needed for entrepreneurial creativity. The course evolved into Product Realization and Entrepreneurship and is still offered by the college.

March 2003		The Board of Trustees gives final approval to the REDC.

April 2003		The School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. AACSB International sets the global standard for business schools; less than 18 percent of the nation’s universities receive this accreditation.

June 12, 2003		The college’s business school is renamed the Sam and Irene Black School of Business in honor of the $20 million endowment given by the Black family in 2001.

April 28, 2004		A REDC groundbreaking ceremony is held in Smith Chapel. With added classrooms and specialty labs, Chancellor Jack Burke tells the audience, “we will able to expand efforts to support specific industry clusters, such as plastics, metals, foundry, and information technology.”

July 2004		Construction begins on the REDC.

August 18, 2004		The REDC is featured in an Associated Press story carried nationwide. The story notes that the REDC “will force business and engineering undergrads to rub shoulders before they enter the corporate world and learn how much they can rub each other the wrong way.”

May 2006		The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry gives Penn State Behrend occupancy of the building.

July 2006		Move-in begins for the Black School of Business and the School of Engineering.

August 2006		Construction begins on the 200-seat lecture hall addition. Completion is expected in April 2007.

September 5, 2006		The REDC “opens for business” on the first day of classes.

October 2006		Construction will begin on a 182-space, three-level parking structure immediately south of the REDC for an August 2007 opening.

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