University Times

Pitt's Titusville campus (UPT) has launched a $1 million capital fund-raising campaign to help finance a new science center on the Crawford County campus.

The campaign, which is the first capital fund-raising effort to be conducted by UPT since its founding in 1963, already has received about $500,000 in pledges and is expected to continue for about a year.

The University and state previously committed $5.6 million for construction of the center. Work on it is scheduled to begin later this year and be completed by fall 1996.

Funds raised during the campaign will be used to purchase lab equipment, convert old labs into offices, construct a maintenance building, close and landscape a portion of Walnut Street, and support programming at the new center.

In addition to laboratories, classrooms and offices, the center will house a 400-seat auditorium. It will be located on the corner of Walnut Street and Petroleum Street, next to Haskell Library and across the street from the student union.

According to UPT President Michael Worman, the science center also will contain state-of-the-art computer, multi-media and electronic distance learning resources.

"These technologies will enable us to deliver the University's entire range of educational, research and consulting services to northwestern Pennsylvania," Worman said.

"The laboratory exercises and demonstrations we will now be able to perform will increase our students' access to scientific information, insight into scientific processes and expertise in research methods," added Mark Ritke, assistant professor of biology.

In recognition of a lead gift of $300,000, the facility will be named the Broadhurst Science Center. Titusville native James Broadhurst, chairperson and chief executive officer of Eat n' Park Restaurants, also will serve as honorary chairperson of the capital campaign. Titusville attorney Richard Roeder, vice chair of the UPT advisory board, will serve as co-chair.

"Our vision of what the Titusville campus can be, as well as our appreciation for what it has done for this community and the many students who have attended here, led us to make out commitment to this project," Broadhurst said. "My family and I believe a university can be the principal institution which makes a community grow." Noting that Pitt has invested millions of dollars in Titusville over the past several years, Roeder said he believes that "business and industry will support this project, realizing Pitt itself is an incredible investment in the economic and cultural life of the community." Of the projected $6.6 million cost of the science center, $5.6 million ($3.2 million from the state and $2.4 million from Pitt) will be used for property acquisition, design, construction and equipment. Another $500,000 will be used to complete and equip the auditorium, $100,000 for additional laboratory equipment and $400,000 for landscaping and renovation of an existing building adjacent to the science center.

"Named gift opportunities for those who wish to contribute to this vital project include classrooms, laboratories, the auditorium and offices," Worman noted. "Contributors will have the satisfaction of knowing they have directly and positively affected our students and the society they will serve in the years ahead." Capital campaign goals for specific projects include: $100,000 for the auditorium; $50,000 each for physics, general chemistry and biology labs; $25,000 each for organic chemistry, advanced biology and organismic biology labs, and computer classroom; $15,000 each for two lecture rooms and a small animal teaching and research lab; $10,000 for an audio/visual classroom, and $5,000 each for faculty and administrative offices, and a faculty lounge.