12-28-00
GOV. RIDGE DELIVERS $30 MILLION
FOR RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Governor Tom Ridge today delivered $30 million--the largest-ever state
capital investment in Erie County history--to build the Research and
Economic Development Center (REDC) at Penn State Erie, allowing the
college to combine the physical and intellectual resources of its two
professional schools to create a powerful and catalytic regional asset
for economic development.
Planning for this state-of-the-art center dates back more than 10 years,
and construction was designated as a high priority by the Erie
Conference's Community Coalition in 1996 and again in 1999.
"This vital investment will result in new, knowledge-based jobs in
Northwestern Pennsylvania, and we are enormously grateful to Gov. Ridge
for his leadership and support in funding this project," said Dr. John
Lilley, provost and dean at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. "The
REDC will be an outstanding regional resource with close ties to
Knowledge Park at Penn State Erie, and it will provide support for a
variety of collaborations with other colleges and universities in the
region."
The 160,000 square-foot academic building will house Penn State Erie's
School of Business and its School of Engineering and Engineering
Technology. Through education and training programs and research and
technology transfer projects, researchers from all of the region's
colleges and universities, as well as company representatives, will have
access to REDC facilities and specialized, high-tech equipment.
"Today we make a powerful pledge to our talented young Pennsylvanians:
`Stay here. There's work here!' Gov. Ridge said. "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.
"That's why I'm proud to support the Research and Economic Development
Center, so students like Celene Yanosko can find the kind of jobs
they're looking for right here in Erie."
"Thank you, Governor Ridge, for providing this region with such a
wonderful opportunity," said Yanosko, a fourth-year student at Penn
State Erie working on her degree in mechanical engineering. "This
building, when combined with Knowledge Park, will bring students at all
our local universities into contact with many companies that will use
the facilities and the specialized high-technology equipment located
here.
"I've learned so much through my work with GE. This new facility will
create many similar opportunities for other students."
An Erie native, Yanosko already has benefited from partnerships with
industry. Two years ago, she completed an internship with GE
Transportation Systems in Erie, and last summer she worked as a GE
intern in the Czech Republic. She is the recipient of many honors for
scholarship and leadership.
"We cannot afford to lose any more Celene Yanosko's," Gov. Ridge said.
"The REDC and Knowledge Park will go a long way in keeping Celene and
her talented counterparts right here in Pennsylvania."
Gov. Ridge noted that the creation of the REDC will allow Penn State
Erie to offer Information Sciences and Technology (IST) programming to
Northwest Pennsylvania. Due to a lack of space, Penn State Erie is the
only Penn State location not offering the popular IST program. The IST
programming -- including computer engineering, computer science and
software engineering -- would complement the programs at Gannon
University, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Mercyhurst College and
other higher-education institutions in the region, providing a major
locational attraction for information technology businesses and
services.
The teaching, research, and outreach activities housed in the REDC will
support Knowledge Park at Penn State Erie, including attraction of
future Knowledge Park tenants. Since its dedication in fall 1999,
Knowledge Park has created more than 100 new jobs and retained 100
others for the region. The REDC will be located on the east side of
Jordan Road, adjacent to Knowledge Park.
In October 1999, Gov. Ridge released $2 million for Knowledge Park,
bringing the Commonwealth's commitment to the technology, research and
commercial park to nearly $13 million.
The REDC will create a model of integration for business and engineering
learning environments. Penn State Erie already has received a $176,000
grant from the GE Fund to initiate this process. Integrating the
efforts of the School of Business and the School of Engineering and
Engineering Technology will enable graduates to operate more
successfully within a small business enterprise and in a high-technology
environment.
The building will house many of the college's applied research centers
and provide space for programs such as the Pennsylvania Technical
Assistance Program, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, and the Plastics
Technology Deployment Center. It also will include space to encourage
and enhance faculty, staff, and student entrepreneurship. Penn State
Erie hopes to expand its support of specific industry clusters, such as
metals-related, foundry-related, and plastics-related manufacturers.
"This is wonderful news for business and industry in Northwestern
Pennsylvania," said P.C. "Hoop" Roche, president and CEO of Erie
Plastics and chair of Penn State Erie's Council of Fellows. "The REDC
and Knowledge Park are the result of incredible cooperation among
community partners, and it means our people will compete with increasing
success in the global economy."
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, is committed to high-quality
teaching, research, and service, with a special focus on advancing the
economic and social welfare of Northwestern Pennsylvania. The college
offers 27 four-year Penn State degrees, six two-year degrees, and two
graduate degrees -- a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a
Master of Manufacturing Systems Engineering (M.Eng.). Nearly 1,500 of
its 3,800 students live on the college's 730-acre campus.
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Contact: Loretta Brandon
(814) 898-6063 (O)
(814) 864-9922 (H)
e-mail: lzb6@psu.edu