<\/div><\/div><\/div>\nIt\u2019s a warm, humid morning in Charleston and the call of seagulls has finally replaced the sound of bulldozers and blowtorches. In just over nine months, architects and construction workers erected a building that is more than just a pretty face.
\nThe state-of-the-art 75,000-square-foot facility, an iconic glass and metal structure located on the waterfront of Charleston\u2019s old naval base, will symbolize the joint vision of Clemson University and businesswoman\/philanthropist Anita Zucker. The program will serve as the academic anchor in the Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI<\/a>) applied technology park, joining the Warren Lasch Conservation Center<\/a> and the SCE&G Energy Innovation Center<\/a>. The Zucker Family Graduate Education Center<\/a> will offer master\u2019s programs in electrical engineering, systems engineering and digital production arts (DPA) and a Ph.D. program in computer science.
\n[pullquote]\u201cFor years our business community has\u00a0complained that we don\u2019t have enough graduate-level courses in engineering. Well, I feel like that call\u00a0will finally be answered with this new center,\u201d Zucker said.[\/pullquote]
\n\u201cThe Zucker Family Graduate Education Center will respond to industry\u2019s demand for an engineering workforce for the future,\u201d said Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, director of business development for CURI. \u201cThe center will bring opportunity for personal and professional growth for place-bound engineers who would like to have an advanced degree and expand their opportunities in the job market.\u201d
\nThe idea is that the engineering programs will help keep young talent and expertise from leaving South Carolina for other places that offer opportunities to grow in the industry. Additionally, the DPA program will expand instruction in video game design and content development in hopes of creating a new regional industry. The center will start with a combination of on-site and remote (via video conference) learning with a plan to have the program completely local within three years.
\nThe timing of the opening is ideal as Charleston is quickly becoming one of the nation\u2019s fastest-growing areas for such advanced business and industry sectors as aerospace, transportation, advanced materials, advanced security and biomedical services and manufacturing. According to the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce<\/a>, the Charleston region is one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the United States, and growth in population and employment is expected to continue to exceed the national average.
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