Lee College of Engineering celebrating 50th anniversary
This year marks 50 years of service and dedication to the field of engineering by UNC Charlotte’s William States Lee College of Engineering.
While the college can trace its roots to the University’s early beginnings, 1965 is recognized as the official start of the college; it is the first year bachelor’s degrees were awarded. During its first 50 years, Lee College has expanded undergraduate and graduate academic programs, built new laboratories and developed a number of cutting-edge research programs, and a focus on student success has been a constant.
“The Lee College of Engineering has evolved from a small division graduating a handful of engineers each year into a key supplier of engineering talent in North Carolina. Our applied research programs have also become an economic engine for the region,” said Bob Johnson, dean of the Lee College of Engineering. “In spite of that dramatic growth and transformation, every engineering dean has held to the principle that ‘the student comes first,’ striving to ensure that every student grows as an individual while learning to design something, build something and be a part of something new and dynamic.”
In 1965, there were two bachelor’s degree graduates; for the 2014-15 academic year, there were 468 bachelor’s, 172 master’s and 17 Ph.D. degree recipients. As the college has grown from freshmen introduction to engineering courses to senior design projects sponsored by industry, Lee College of Engineering students have taken the knowledge learned from books and lectures and applied it to real-world projects. They have learned by doing, and the employers who have hired them have been benefited, said Johnson.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its first graduates, the Lee College commissioned Jamie Franki, UNC Charlotte professor of art and award-winning coin designer, to create a commemorative medal. In creating the medal, Franki selected a collage of images representing the college’s mission for one side, and a depiction of late Duke Energy president and the college’s namesake Bill Lee for the obverse.
“The image of Bill Lee is based on a photo taken at a celebration banquet toward the end of his career,” Franki said. “I selected this image, because to me, it showed Mr. Lee as a master of ceremonies at an event very similar to the 50th anniversary celebration of the college. It represents a mature stage of his career, much like the stage the college has now reached in its history.”
Medals are struck in either bronze or investment-grade fine silver, and proceeds will be invested to support engineering student scholarships. Single medallions are priced at $149 and the medallion sets are priced at $283.40. All medallion packages have been autographed by designer Jamie Franki. Click here to order or make a scholarship contribution.