ISE Lab dedication to celebrate generous donors
The University is preparing for the formal dedication of the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory (ISE Lab)—one of the most anticipated new facilities on campus—to be marked with a day of special activities on Oct. 17.
The day’s events will celebrate not only the teaching, learning and research housed in the groundbreaking new building but also the generous donors who supported ISE Lab’s fundraising goal of $56 million.
Meanwhile, many opportunities remain for alumni and friends to invest in ISE Lab, with more than 100 naming opportunities available.
For more information about supporting ISE Lab, visit www.udel.edu/iselab/naming or contact Beth G. Brand, associate vice president of development, at bgbrand@udel.edu or (302) 831-2104.
ISE Lab has been supported by corporations, foundations and individual donors. Those include Bob Gore, EG59, 10Hon, former CEO and chairman of the board of W.L. Gore & Associates, and his wife, Jane Gore, whose $10 million gift has supported the Bob and Jane Gore Research Laboratories in ISE Lab.
“The prospect of exciting research and an opportunity for more effective teaching is what I see for the future of the ISE facility,” Bob Gore says. “I believe this facility will also encourage cross-disciplinary idea generation and problem solving, a critical need in both academic and industrial settings.
“If a facility can make a difference, the ISE Lab has been thoughtfully designed with that aim. I applaud this rather bold initiative by the University, and it has my enthusiastic support.”
Another substantial gift came in 2012, when DuPont contributed $5 million. In recognition of the company’s leadership support, the instructional wing has been named the DuPont Science Learning Laboratories.
“We look forward to engaging the academically diverse and innovative young scientists and engineers who will look to complete their education here,” said Thomas M. Connelly, DuPont executive vice president and chief innovation officer.
In January, the University received a $5 million commitment from the Unidel Foundation Inc. to support the building’s construction. To help motivate others to invest in the ISE Lab project, the University decided to use this gift to establish a challenge to motivate other prospective donors.
The Unidel Challenge will be in effect during 2013 to provide donors the chance to significantly upgrade their naming opportunity within the building. As long as sufficient matching funds remain during the challenge period, all new gifts to ISE Lab of $50,000 to $2.5 million will receive a 1:1 match for the purpose of naming opportunities. For example, a donor who makes a gift of $50,000 during the Unidel Challenge period will receive a naming opportunity valued at $100,000.
The recent $5 million gift is the third grant the Unidel Foundation has given to UD in support of the construction of ISE Lab, bringing its total contribution to this facility to $13 million.
“Unidel Trustees are pleased to continue support to areas across the University. Unidel hopes that this grant will be matched by others who recognize the significance of the ISE Lab to the quality of teaching and research at UD,” said Arno Loessner, secretary/treasurer of Unidel Foundation Inc.
