Marian University marks opening of new engineering building

Nearly three years since the original announcement and after more than two years of construction, Marian University officially has an engineering school on its Indianapolis campus.

Gov. Eric Holcomb and other state officials joined representatives of Marian University on Thursday to cut the ribbon on the more than $45 million E.S. Witchger School of Engineering.

University President Dan Elsener said the opening of the school comes amid enrollment that has exceeded expectations.

In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Elsener said the school will be 20% ahead of its enrollment target when classes begin this month.

“We were shooting for 50 new students this year, and instead, we’ll have 70 new students,” he said. “We. of course, exceeded our enrollment target last year, I think, around 10%. So we’re almost approaching already 100 new students this last two years.”

Instruction at the school began in the last academic year as construction on the building continued. The school received approval from the Higher Learning Commission in June 2022.

The school offers engineering degrees in biomedical, chemical, civil, computer and mechanical engineering, along with engineering physics. Elsener said the university has a graduate program in development as well, which could begin in 2024.

The university previously told our partners at the IBJ that it wanted to attract a student body at the engineering school that closely mirrors the U.S. demographics of 13% African American, 18% Hispanic and 50% female.

Elsener said there is still work to be done. Currently, the school is at about 14% African American, but only 12% Hispanic and about 21% female, he said.

Marian currently has an $81 million fundraising campaign ongoing, and Elsener said they’ve raised over 50% of that goal, which has largely funded the building’s construction. Additional funds support scholarships, new faculty and programming.

The engineering school received a $24 million lead gift from the Witchger family, which owns and operates Indianapolis-based Marian Inc, a global manufacturer of component parts for the medical, electronics, and automotive industries.

Elsener said he’s excited about the opportunities that the school can bring to its students and the community.

“When we look at a building and the people that will occupy it, we are reminded in occasions like this of our promise to our students and to the professions and larger community that will prepare good leaders for not only a good life, but success in their professional endeavors and their leadership role in the community,” Elsener said. “This building represents a physical manifestation of that commitment.”