MURFREESBORO, Tenn.- State Officials joined leaders from Middle Tennessee State University to break ground on a brand new state-of-the-art science building.
The ground breaking was held on the campus of MTSU on Thursday.
The new $147 million science building is on the site of the old Wood, Felder, Gore, and Clement dorms. Governor Haslam included almost $127 million for construction of the new building in next year's state budget, saying that the new building would help address the state's need for more science graduates.
"Graduates with STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) degrees are vital to our state's ability to thrive and compete in the 21st century economy," Haslam said during the ceremony. "With more space to train in these areas, this building will help us toward our goal of increasing STEM graduates."
The 250,000 square foot building is expected to be ready for classes by Spring of 2015.
"As we begin our second century of service to the State of Tennessee, today's ceremony for this $147 million educational-and-scientific facility project for our university is an appropriate capstone to our year-long Centennial Celebration," said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee.
