Purdue News
Purdue News
|
Krannert School breaks ground on techno-savvy buildingWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University's Krannert School has broken ground for Rawls Hall, the Krannert School of Management's new facility, in a Discover Purdue celebratory event.
Jerry S. Rawls, a Krannert School alumnus and Silicon Valley executive, gave $10 million to build the $35 million building, the centerpiece in the Krannert School's $55 million "Krannert at the Frontier" campaign. "Purdue and the Krannert School provided me with a solid basis upon which to build my career," Rawls said. "The new building will provide Krannert with the technologically advanced facilities it needs to grow its reputation as well as add an architecturally pleasing building to Purdue's campus. "But most importantly, Rawls Hall will be a place where Krannert students will learn what it takes to lead 21st century enterprises."
President Martin C. Jischke said Rawls Hall embodies all the qualities necessary to move Purdue to what he has called "the next level" of excellence. "The Krannert School is one of the best in the world at providing engineers and scientists with business skills," Jischke said. "Jerry Rawls put his engineering degree together with the management ability he developed here to write a great Purdue success story. "Now his generosity is helping Purdue to attain a preeminent place among America's universities." Rawls Hall, a 128,000 square-foot, four-story building, will be ready for occupancy in the fall 2003 semester. The facility will be located on Grant Street across from the Krannert Building. Rawls, president, chief executive officer and director of Finisar Corp., an optical networking company located in Sunnyvale, Calif., earned a master's degree in industrial administration in 1968 from the Krannert School.
Richard A. Cosier, Krannert School dean and Leeds Professor of Management, said, "We are pleased that Rawls Hall is entirely privately funded. This is appropriate when there are many other important demands for public support. "On behalf of the Krannert School, Purdue and our students who will ultimately benefit, I want to thank Jerry for stepping up with the lead gift has made the planning for our new building a reality." In February, Rawls Hall received an architectural design award from Architectural Portfolio. The American School & University publication highlights excellence in the design of educational facilities. The publication cited the building's "center space [that] will be inspiring and at the heart of the school. This design uses massive natural lighting and great open space." The architects for Rawls Hall are Scholer Corp. Architect/Engineers of Lafayette and Goody, Clancy & Associates of Boston. The builder is Wilhelm Construction of Indianapolis. "Rawls Hall will provide the school with an environment that is technologically progressive, yet flexible and adaptable," said G. Logan Jordan, the Krannert School assistant dean of administration who was in charge of planning for Rawls Hall.
"All classrooms and study areas will be wired for the Internet. The commons area will have walk-up Web kiosks and wireless access to university libraries and the Internet. All classrooms will also be videoconference-enabled and linked to a high-end media production center. "In the final analysis, Rawls Hall is designed to provide an excellent residential educational environment within which our students can study and learn. "Second, and perhaps more importantly, it will provide a learning 'portal' through which Krannert can bring experiences and experts from around the world to resident students, and Krannert, in turn, can reach out to students and managers across Indiana or halfway across the globe." The Krannert School of Management undergraduate and graduate programs are consistently ranked among the top 25 business schools in polls and surveys. Last year, The Wall Street Journal ranked the Krannert MBA sixth nationally. There are currently 2,200 undergraduate management majors at the Krannert School. Residential MBA candidates number 360. The Krannert School of Management also offers the doctorate and several executive education programs. Writer: J. Michael Lillich, (765) 494-2077, mlillich@purdue.edu Sources: Jerry Rawls, jerry.rawls@finisar.com Martin C. Jischke, (765) 494-9708 Richard A. Cosier, (765) 494-4366, rcosier@mgmt.purdue.edu G. Logan Jordan, (765) 494-4370, jordan@mgmt.purdue.edu Related Stories: PHOTO CAPTIONS: A publication-quality photograph is available at ftp://ftp.purdue.edu/pub/uns/rawls.gb.jpeg. The atrium area of Jerry S. Rawls Hall was cited by a publication highlighting excellence in the design of educational facilities. Architectural Portfolio stated the building's "center space will be inspiring and at the heart of the school." A publication-quality photograph is available at ftp://ftp.purdue.edu/pub/uns/kran.interior.jpeg. Construction of the technologically state-of-the-art Jerry S. Rawls Hall is beginning this fall. The 128,000 square-foot building will be ready for occupancy in the fall 2003 semester. A publication-quality photograph is available at ftp://ftp.purdue.edu/pub/uns/kran.render.jpeg.
|
