A landmark gift of $10 million from Baltimore developer and philanthropist Edward St. John will help create a long-sought, world-class teaching and learning center at the University of Maryland: a high-tech classroom facility serving students campus-wide, and the first of its kind in a half-century at Maryland, officials say.

The gift represents a vital step toward bringing the Edward St. John Teaching and Learning Center to fruition. Gov. O'Malley and the legislature still have to approve state funding before the project can proceed.

The proposed $63 million Center will be the first new building on campus in 50 years dedicated solely to classroom space. University officials have lobbied for a facility of this kind for decades. For example, the Center will replace current lecture halls fashioned from a Cold War-era rifle range. These offer only the most rudimentary instructional technology.

"I strongly believe that education has the power to transform lives and strengthen communities, and know that this center will benefit University of Maryland students for decades to come," says Edward St. John, a Maryland alum who graduated in 1961 with an engineering degree. He went on to found St. John Properties, a commercial real estate development firm, 40 years ago.

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Tags: Fall 2011

This entry was posted on Friday, October 14th, 2011 at 10:26 am