Adams breaks ground on $1.6 million addition to William Porter Hall

THE Adams State-Colorado State Mechanical Engineering program on the campus of Adams State is growing both in square-footage size and in student cohort size. The Grizzlies and Rams broke ground on a 1,800-square-foot addition to the west end of Porter Hall to house its burgeoning program led by Matt Nehring, Ph.D.

“We are thrilled that construction of this new engineering space is finally under way and I am excited for the educational opportunities and experiences that these labs will provide for our students,” Nehring said. “There is something satisfying and tangible about the construction progress that we will begin witnessing tomorrow. I know the students are excited and I hope the community views this partnership as a point of pride.”

The mechanical engineering program has a first-year cohort of 20 students, with expectations of 30 students in a second-year program, said Nehring. Those figures meet the profit and loss projections new degree programs like this one are often required to submit for board governance approval.

Even better for the program, around half of the students are from San Luis Valley schools, according to enrollment data.

The $1.6 million in renovations to Adams State’s William Porter Hall will include laboratory and classroom space for the CSU/ASU mechanical engineering program. Funding for the project included a $1.1 million federal community project funding supported by Sen. Michael Bennet and Sen. John W. Hickenlooper. 

Additional funding comes from Adams State institutional funds and the Adams State El Centro Sierra Blanca Grant. Although not used in the construction costs, Colorado State University received $1 million from the federal community project funding supported by U.S. Rep. Joseph D. Neguse to assist with the mechanical engineering program.