Ohio Wesleyan embarks on its 'most ambitious' expansion in school history

Ohio Wesleyan University is set to open a new endowed School of Engineering, made possible by over $17 million in contributions from alumni. The university describes this initiative as the most significant academic development in its 183-year history.

OWU President Matt vandenBerg revealed the Conrades School of Engineering during a campus event on December 1. The school honors alumni George Conrades and Patricia "Patsy" Belt Conrades, whose $13 million donation played a central role in its creation.

Currently, Ohio Wesleyan offers pre-engineering programs rather than a dedicated engineering degree. Students in this interdisciplinary program pursue two degrees: a Bachelor of Arts from OWU with a physics major and a pre-engineering optionsuch as pre-chemical, pre-computer, or biomedical engineeringalongside an engineering degree from a partner university.

OWU has established transfer agreements with the California Institute of Technology, Case Western Reserve University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Washington University in St. Louis, where students complete their engineering studies after three years at OWU.

President vandenBerg emphasized that the new school addresses the growing demand for engineers in central Ohios expanding manufacturing sector. The Conrades School of Engineering does more than strengthen Ohio Wesleyan, he stated. It strengthens the world by aligning our resources with the urgent needs of our community, fulfilling the liberal arts mission to educate, empower, and serve.

The first cohort of mechanical engineering majors is expected to enroll in fall 2027.

Jason Hall, CEO of the Columbus Partnership, noted the regions increasing need for engineers as new manufacturing companies arrive. What stands out is that a liberal arts university is taking responsibility for preparing the next generation of problem-solvers, Hall said.

During the schools development, OWU collaborated with industry partners seeking engineers with a liberal arts foundation. Vertiv, a Westerville-based technology company, will offer engineering students priority interviews for summer internships. Ansys, part of Synopsys, will provide specialized software for structural and fluid simulations through its academic program.

Additional support for the Conrades School comes from a $2 million donation by Doug Dittrick Jr. and Gina Boesch, as well as $2 million from alumni Gordon Smith and Helen Crider Smith.

George Conrades acknowledged the influence of his former OWU professors, Robert Wilson and Howard Maxwel, for guiding him toward a career that included leadership roles at IBM, Bolt Beranek and Newman, Akamai Technologies, and Oracle. All this happened because two devoted professors cared deeply, Conrades reflected.

Author: Sophia Brooks