The Sid W. Richardson Foundation has committed a $2.5 million grant to support engineering programs at Texas A&M-Fort Worth, a Tier One research campus under construction in downtown Fort Worth that could have a transformative impact locally and regionally.

The university said the donation builds on the support of a growing list of public and private partners and places Texas A&M-Fort Worth in position to be a major hub for education, research, and innovation for years to come.

“The establishment of Texas A&M-Fort Worth and the expansion of Tarleton State University’s presence are giant steps forward across so many fronts for our city and all of North Texas,” Pete Geren, president of the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, said in a statement. “After considering the opportunities for investment across several academic disciplines, the Richardson Foundation chose to invest in the facility that will support the engineering curriculum that will be offered at A&M-Fort Worth.”

Rendering of Texas A&M Fort Worth [Image: Texas A&M System]

Growing need for ‘a robust pipeline of skilled workers’

The Fort Worth campus will be built in downtown’s southeast quadrant, where Texas A&M School of Law currently stands.

The partnership with the Texas A&M University System, the city of Fort Worth, and Tarrant County will feature innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology at its core, offer a home for academic programs across multiple disciplines, and create concentric circles of industry co-location and collaboration, the university said.

“Texas—and Fort Worth—will rise or fall on what we do today in education, research and service to our state and community. The Sid W. Richardson Foundation understands that and is willing to commit to the future of Texas A&M-Fort Worth,” Chancellor John Sharp said in a statement.

“Gifts like this help prepare the next generation of engineers in high demand across the state and nation,” Dr. Joe Elabd, vice chancellor of research and interim dean of Texas A&M Engineering said. The broad scope of the campus will help meet the growing need for well-trained graduates and a robust pipeline of skilled workers within various industries.

Rendering of the Law & Education building at Texas A&M-Fort Worth [Image: Texas A&M System]

Shaping the future of Fort Worth

Construction on the Law & Education Building kicked off in the fall, the university said.

Set to be completed by late 2025, the eight-story building will serve as an academic training facility for undergraduate and graduate students and will house programs in biotechnology, engineering, health sciences, and more.

The building also will offer state-of-the-art classrooms, lab space, and additional academic facilities to support the expansion of the law school and new educational programs in engineering and health sciences offered by both Texas A&M and Tarleton State University, a member of the Texas A&M University System since 1917.

“The mission set by the Texas A&M System was to build something that would shape the future of Fort Worth—and by extension—the state of Texas. The generosity shown by the Sid W. Richardson Foundation further reinforces that mission,” said Robert B. Ahdieh, vice president for Professional Schools & Programs, who is helping to lead fundraising and the development of new academic programs for the campus.

“Ultimately, this campus will elevate how we develop future generations of professionals in some of the most dynamic sectors of our economy,” Ahdieh said.

Opportunities for innovative partnerships

A&M said that the Research and Innovation Building, the campus’ second building, currently is in the planning and design stages. It will house graduate studies, research, and workforce development programs that include aerospace, agriculture, computer-based visualization technologies, defense, energy, engineering, health sciences, and telecommunications.

The university said that the state-of-the-art facility will provide opportunities for North Texas’ innovative companies to partner with Texas A&M in specialized R&D facilities and offer “front door” office space to better connect local industry partners with Texas A&M’s top talent pool.

The Texas A&M System said that regional offices of several system agencies will be housed in the facility, including the Texas Division of Emergency Management, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, Engineering Extension Service, and Transportation Institute.

“As Fort Worth continues to grow and develop, so will the need for collaboration between academic, industry, and community innovators and entrepreneurs,” Ahdieh said. “The partnerships we build at Texas A&M-Fort Worth will create generational opportunities that will re-shape the future of Fort Worth and the entire region.”

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