The Daily Mississippian reports that the $175 million, 202,000-square-foot project is the largest academic project in the university’s history and took three years to construct.
The center “will prepare students to enter STEM fields that allow them to work on the cutting edge of medicine, computer technology, chemical engineering, robotics and other jobs," the university says.
Classrooms in the new center are designed with innovation and active learning in mind. The building will host 50 “TEAL” classrooms dedicated to technology-enabled active learning and participation, as opposed to a traditional lecture-style layout.
Other features include a center for success and supplemental instruction, a food provider location and a 3D visualization lab that are meant to make the center one of the top STEM education buildings in the nation.