On Friday, November 5, 2021, Chapman University and the Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler School of Engineering celebrated the vision and generosity of the late Jim Swenson and his remarkable family, and charted a course forward for Fowler Engineering. 

President Struppa during Swenson Hall dedication

2021 Swenson Hall Dedication

As a featured event during Chapman’s Homecoming, a huge crowd was in attendance for the Swenson Family Hall of Engineering ribbon cutting and dedication which included students, parents, staff, faculty, university leaders, community members and longtime Chapman University supporters.

Both Chapman University President Daniele Struppa and founding Dean Andrew Lyon made comments at a Friday, Nov. 5th, ceremony that was followed by an open house. President Struppa said, “Swenson Hall of Engineering is designed as a space where researchers, teachers, students come together to rethink the boundaries between academics and the problems in our society which engineers can tackle.”

Swenson family in the Makerspace

2021 Swenson Hall Dedication

Students, staff, faculty showed visitors their new home which includes research and classroom labs, the Ideation Zone, and the Design/Create/Innovate (DCI) space on the first floor. The DCI space includes the Makerspace filled with 3D scanners and printers, CNC fabrication, laser cutting, vacuum forming, breadboarding, and robotics. 
Even the Boston Dynamics robot dog, “Spot” made an appearance during the open house. Arman Siddiqui, a senior Computer Science student  eagerly showed  visitors all Spot’s “tricks” as he explained the wonderful opportunities he experienced as a Fowler Engineering student including being able to guide the robot.

Students in the Fowler School of Engineering receive hands-on experiences with state-of-the-art engineering tools from the first day they arrive on campus. Whether designing and fabricating components with additive manufacturing, or simulating failure cases with code, our students have the software and hardware they need at their fingertips.

The Keck Center for Science and Engineering

Keck Center for Science and Engineering at Chapman University. Orange, CA. A.C. Martin Architects. ( AC Martin Architects )

The Keck Center for Science and Engineering opened its doors to students and faculty in August 2018. Supported by a $20 million grant from W.M. Keck Foundation, this game-changing facility spans nearly an entire city block and offers 140,000 square feet of space for learning, research and collaboration. The Keck Center has been home to Schmid College of Science and Technology since 2018. The Dale E. ‘58 and Sarah Ann Fowler School of Engineering opened its doors in summer 2021 completing the project and filling the halls of Keck Center with future scientists and engineers eager to make their mark.

President Daniel Struppa said, “Keck Center will help us create a new generation of problem-solvers, thinkers and inventors who will contribute to the economic growth of Southern California and make a critical difference to our society.”