STEAM Center Construction at University of St. Thomas Underway

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/28/22

At the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., construction is underway on a new centralized home for STEAM education. The Schoenecker Center will stand five stories and cover more than 130,000 square feet to integrate the school’s art, science, engineering and innovation programs, according to the university website. Design-build contractor McGough broke ground on the project in May, and construction is scheduled for completion during the spring semester of 2024.

The new facility will include amenities like a high bay for engineering, an emerging media newsroom and classrooms, science labs and offices, an art gallery, rehearsal and performance space for choral and instrumental groups, flex space for collaboration and group work, and a café with a community area.

The $110-million complex was named in honor of donors Guy and Barbara Schoenecker and aims to offer an inclusive approach to interdisciplinary education, according to a university news release. “This building is actually not about contradictions, but an ideal,” said Dean Don Weinkauf of the School of Engineering. “Forward-thinking students thrive at St. Thomas because they come with something more. They come with what I would call an ‘and’ spirit. Great at mathematics and athletics. Great at playing music and designing bridges.”

According to a November 2021 news story announcing the project, the building will house three distinct academic areas: Arts, Engineering and Sciences. It will also play home to the university Center for Artificial Intelligence, the Center for Data Science and the Center for Water Justice. It will also provide space to local K–12 schools and community groups for meetings and performances.

“What research is telling us, what our industry partners are telling us, is that they need graduates who have broad knowledge, who are flexible thinkers and who are used to working with different fields and different ideas,” said University President Julie Sullivan. “That’s exactly what you will see when you step through the doors of the Schoenecker Center.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • EPA to Provide $26M in Grants to Protect School, Child Care Drinking Water

    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that it will award $26 million in grant funding to test and fix lead-contaminated water at U.S. schools and childcare centers, according to local news.

  • Gretna East High School

    Gretna East High School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Gretna East High School has been recognized with an EDS 2025 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • University of Connecticut Upgrades Basketball Facility’s AV Systems

    The University of Connecticut recently partnered with Metinteractive to upgrade the AV systems of the Gampel Pavilion basketball facility on its campus in Mansfield, Conn., according to a news release.

  • K–12 Safety Trends Report Reveals Reliance on Training, Technology

    Wearable safety technology provider CENTEGIX recently released its 2025 School Safety Trends Report, according to a news release. The report is based on more than 265,000 incidents during the 2024–25 school year as reported through the CENTEGIX Safety Platform, used by more than 800 school districts across the U.S.

Digital Edition