UCCS and the College of Engineering and Applied Science celebrated the completion of two new buildings on the UCCS campus: the new Anschutz Engineering Center and the Design and Prototyping Center.

The 23,000-square-foot Anschutz Engineering Center is a dedicated lab building housing state-of-the-art lab space, classroom facilities, an executive conference room and faculty offices. Additionally, the project includes the nearby 3,000-square-foot shop building dedicated to fabrication, electric vehicle technology, and Senior Projects – the Design and Prototyping Center. 

“The Pikes Peak Region’s growth in key aerospace and technology business sectors has created a massive and growing demand for a skilled workforce. With approximately 300 companies in the region alone seeking EAS graduates, we see both the opportunity and the imperative to create next-generation facilities that will create extraordinary opportunities for our students while producing highly skilled graduates ready for the jobs that await them,” said Michael Corl, interim dean of the College of Engineering and Science.

This project is at the center of the College of Engineering and Applied Science’s efforts to build the next generation of the technical workforce through its burgeoning aerospace engineering program. The buildings – now open to students and faculty – will expand the College’s student capacity from 1,700 to 3,100 students by 2030, as well as grow teaching capabilities, allowing for new types of research to advance health, welfare and prosperity through engineering.

“Our collaboration with UCCS expands career opportunities for Coloradoans. At the same time, it helps build a pipeline of highly skilled Aerospace professionals our nation and economy need,” said Christian Anschutz, president of The Anschutz Foundation, which provided a substantial donation for the project’s construction. “The Anschutz Foundation believes that this facility will create new and exciting educational experiences, foster next-level leadership training, and provide unique opportunities for UCCS students.”

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Anschutz Engineering Center took place on Aug. 26, 2022. A beam-signing event took place in early May 2023, and the building opened during the spring 2024 semester.