Raytheon, an RTX business, is expanding its University of Arizona support with a $2 million gift commitment for the College of Engineering's Student Design and Innovation Center. 

The 100,000-square-foot center, to be called the SDIC, will include collaborative classrooms, an advising center and the Raytheon Student Leadership Suite. Located on East Speedway Boulevard east of North Mountain Avenue, the building also will house makerspaces for designing and constructing projects, in alignment with the college's focus on experiential learning. 

University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella expressed his gratitude for the gift during a recent tour of Raytheon led by Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon, which produces technology to protect U.S. and allied ships and sailors. Borgonovi is also a member of the College of Engineering Dean's Advisory Board.

"It was such a pleasure to meet Barbara and to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the long history of partnership with Raytheon," Garimella said. "I look forward to building on the history of collaboration between Raytheon and the university as we work together to develop engineers who are uniquely prepared to take on the national security and other significant challenges of the future."

Raytheon is excited to help foster the next generation of engineering leaders, Borgonovi said.

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"The University of Arizona College of Engineering's Student Design and Innovation Center is a testament to the university's dedication to nurturing future engineers, equipping them with the resources and environment they need to turn concepts into groundbreaking solutions," Borgonovi said.

"Having met President Garimella, I feel even more optimistic about the real impact we can have on preparing students to develop innovative solutions to serious global challenges," she said.

Raytheon's gift helps the College of Engineering accommodate its considerable growth in recent years, according to David W. Hahn, the Craig M. Berge Dean of the college. And it brings the college closer to realizing its goal of opening a space where students can access academic support programs and gain experience with high-tech equipment and learning methods. 

"This named space is a key part of the SDIC plan," Hahn said. 

The space will also house dozens of student clubs,  including the Engineering Ambassadors and Wildcat Robotics. These groups  provide opportunities for students to serve communities, create networks and apply classroom learning in national competitions.  

"Students begin their professional development in clubs and organizations," said Hahn. "And involvement teaches them to lead and to build community, honing the soft skills that foster their futures as leaders and innovators."

Raytheon has contributed to the university for decades, including gifts that support experiential learning in engineering and STEM initiatives across campus.

More engineers, deeper engagement

Construction on the center should begin in the next two to four years, with timing dependent on fundraising, Hahn said.

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"Raytheon's generous gift brings us closer to realizing this critical goal. The SDIC will provide many benefits for our students and for industries like defense, which urgently needs well-trained engineers," Hahn said. "I'm deeply grateful for Raytheon's support." 

U of A engineering enrollment has risen in recent years, helping the college address labor gaps statewide and nationally. The incoming class has grown 25% over the past five years.

Hahn says the building will be a key recruitment tool to help train more engineers.

The SDIC will have large makerspaces with 3D printers, electronic tools, machines for woodworking and metalworking, and laser cutters, among other equipment. These resources aid the college's strategy to engage students in hands-on projects throughout their undergraduate years and beyond, said Larry Head, director of the Craig M. Berge Engineering Design Program. 

Head led the effort to open the college's Engineering Design Center in 2023. The center – where students not only design and build but also become certified to safely operate machines and tools – is a smaller, temporary version of the SDIC. 

"We have seen such engagement from students. It's having a major impact on their development as engineers," he said. "The SDIC will give us even more ability to improve the educational experience and keep our graduates in high demand with employers."

Raytheon's investment adds to infrastructure, such as the Peter and Nancy Salter Medical Device Design Lab. The college partnered with donors to open the lab in 2018, giving students the space and equipment to fabricate biomedical instruments. 

"Raytheon is a longtime U of A partner and deeply connected to this institution in many ways," said John-Paul Roczniak, president and CEO of the University of Arizona Foundation. "Its philanthropic support helps ensure that students have the resources they need while on campus. This new gift to the College of Engineering is crucial to providing hands-on experiences that prepare students for life after college."

Raytheon's $2 million gift commitment is part of the Fuel Wonder campaign, the university's $3 billion fundraising effort. Gifts already made to the campaign are giving every student access to a cohesive ecosystem of support while powering new insights through research in areas including cancer engineering and space sciences.