Prairie View A&M University’s enrollment is the highest it has ever been. The increased student population calls for new accommodations.
The nationally renowned electrical engineering, architecture and nursing programs have, for years, represented the university with pride, dignity and a commitment to excellence.All three degree programs have continued to flourish, showcasing an ability to compete with some of Texas’ larger institutions despite less than adequate facilities. For this season, reflecting their hard-work, the departments will be housed in new and improved facilities in 2005.
Prairie View A&M University’s student body inadequately passed its building capacities. On a campus where the population exceeds 8,000, the electrical engineering department was confined to one floor of the C.L. Wilson building.
Sensing a growing need for increased space, students and faculty members demanded a new building seven years ago. From there, it took off.
The $12 million-plus facility will become the new home for the electrical engineering school. This 48,707 square foot building will include three floors. It will provide space for the growth of the electrical engineering programs.
Its first floor will be for classrooms, laboratory space and computer labs. The second floor will have research and teaching labs. The third floor will consist of offices for doctoral students, faculty members, graduate students and a general electrical engineering office.
The engineering department has added three additional programs since requesting a new facility: doctoral degree in electrical engineering, master of science in computer engineering and bachelor of science in computer engineering.
The new electrical engineering building will be located next to the C.L. Wilson building. It will officially become the home for Prairie View’s electrical engineering school in May 2005.
Currently located directly above the electrical engineering department on the second floor of the C.L. Wilson building is Prairie View’s School of Architecture.
Winning a national championship in “Design Building” at this summer’s Construction Specification Institute Design Competition in San Antonio, the architecture department sensed the need for growth.
In 2000, their plan asked for a new venue to accommodate an influx of students, as Prairie View is one of only seven historically black colleges, and the only one in Texas, with a fully accredited architecture program.
Like electrical engineering, the School of Architecture added three programs. Along with a bachelor’s in architecture, there is also a master’s degree in architecture, master’s in community development, and bachelor’s in construction science. Costing around $17 to $18 million for construction, this 100,000 square foot facility will feature two service centers: Community Urban and Rural Enhancement Studies and the Texas Institute for the Preservation of History and Culture.
It will also feature a museum for the African American History of Architecture, as well as a state of the art woodshop.
It is projected that student enrollment in architecture will continue to grow.
Located in the Houston Medical Center, the nursing program is also expanding in its facility.
Construction for this 100,000 square foot building initially began in September of 2002, as the nursing faculty, alumni and administration needed a home to fit their present and future needs.
Designed by Watkins-Hamilton-Ross architects, the $43.1 million facility will feature 12 floors, plus a basement.
Of those 12 floors, five will be for the operation of the nursing program.
Amenities include a parking garage, an updated facility security area, a minority health research center, a learning resource center, departments of adult and family nursing, mental and community health nursing, distance education and an administrative area. The remaining floors will be for parking and mechanical services.