May 6, 2009 – TOLEDO, Ohio – A gift of $500,000 to The University of Toledo College of Engineering from SSOE, Inc. came to fruition when the College dedicated its new SSOE seminar room in Nitschke Hall on May 6th, 2009. SSOE’s founder, the late Al Samborn, was a graduate of The University of Toledo College of Engineering and later a faculty member.
“Our college has enjoyed a long and mutually beneficial relationship with SSOE. For our long friendship and this gift, we are extremely grateful,” said Dr. Nagi Naganathan, Dean of the College of Engineering. “SSOE employs more than 150 UT alumni; nearly 80 are graduates of the College of Engineering. In addition, SSOE employed more than 60 of our engineering students in co-operative work arrangements in the last year alone. The SSOE seminar room will enhance our partnership in the years to come.”
According to officials at the College, the SSOE seminar room is solely dedicated to lectures and speaker series. SSOE designed the renovated space, adding more spacious aisle ways, updated lighting, and the ability to accommodate new technologies. Visitors to the renovated room will be greeted by a vivid mural that depicts the history of the partnership between SSOE and the College.
“This gift will have a lasting impact on our ability to attract new talent to our College of Engineering, help us showcase our faculty and staff, and provide an excellent environment for our students and visitors,” said Naganathan. “The impact goes beyond renovating a space by transforming it into a state-of-the-art facility. This is going to help us further enhance a nurturing and conducive environment to promote intellectual dialog and our commitment to scholarship. The renovated seminar room will be front and center before our students, their families and our community as evidence of SSOE’s engagement with our college and their support for our students, our university at large, as well as the economic development of our region.”
Besides the half-million dollar gift to the College of Engineering, SSOE donated an additional $129,000 in support for The University of Toledo College of Business Administration, College of Medicine, Athletics, and a project to honor veterans outside the newly renovated Memorial Field House.
“SSOE is a proud supporter of The University of Toledo,” said Tony Damon, President and Chief Executive Officer of SSOE. “This remarkable partnership is built on the legacy of SSOE founder Alfred Samborn, whose professionalism and commitment to engineering education was exemplified by his many years teaching at UT and working with SSOE. He personally built endowed scholarships for students within the college that now total more than $100,000.”
