UMSL plans to launch a new School of Engineering in the fall of 2025. It is intended to operate alongside the UMSL/Washington University Joint Undergraduate Engineering Program and serve more traditional, full-time students with classes on the UMSL campus. (Photo by August Jennewein)

The University of Missouri–St. Louis is committed to preparing students to meet the workforce needs of the St. Louis region and beyond, and the demand for trained engineers in Missouri remains particularly high.

A 2021 market analysis showed significant shortcomings in the number of students earning degrees in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering at universities in the state with thousands of jobs in those fields going unfilled each year.

With that in mind, and with the support of local elected officials and business leaders, UMSL is preparing to establish a new School of Engineering in the fall of 2025. Missouri’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget directed an initial capital investment of $15 million to the university to support the planning, design and construction of labs, classrooms and student community spaces in the Science Complex that will be used to train more engineering students.

The university is working to secure private financial support to offset costs associated with both the startup and ongoing operational expenses for the new School of Engineering. This would include contributions to support student scholarships and programming as well as workforce-aligned teaching and research.

The school will operate alongside the UMSL/Washington University Joint Undergraduate Engineering Program. It is also intended to build upon the joint engineering program’s 30-year track record of success with ABET-accredited Bachelor of Science degree programs in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering. Whereas the joint engineering program is designed to cater to the needs of nontraditional learners by offering courses in the evening, the new school is expected to serve more traditional, full-time students with classes on the UMSL campus.

“We have made sure to communicate with leaders in our community to find out what they want from our region’s only public research university,” Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Steven J. Berberich said. “We know there is a strong desire to see our region develop more engineers who will remain in St. Louis and our state and contribute to their success. We are grateful to all the people who have helped advocate on UMSL’s behalf and helped secure financial support so that we can begin to build this new school.”

Top executives from Greater St. Louis Inc., the Regional Business Council and leading employers such as Ameren, Boeing, Emerson, Nidec and ThermoFisher Scientific all offered support as UMSL sought funding from the state of Missouri. Elected officials such as Missouri Senator Brian Williams and Speaker of the House Dean Plocher, as well as the University of Missouri Board of Curators and President Mun Choi, were also instrumental in supporting and directing resources to the university.

“We are excited about the state’s support for UMSL’s School of Engineering,” Greater St. Louis Inc. CEO Jason Hall wrote in a letter backing the creation of the new school earlier this year. “It will be a positive development for talent and business attraction in the St. Louis metro and across the state.”

As renovations begin this year in the Science Complex, the university will also be moving to hire a director to oversee the operations of the new school as well as new faculty members to help mentor and teach students.

“We’ve seen tremendous support from leaders throughout the state, including alumni and employers, that helped provide initial support for the School of Engineering,” said Lisa Capone, UMSL’s vice chancellor for advancement. “We are now reaching out to key partners seeking new contributions that will directly impact students interested in becoming an engineer in the greater St. Louis region. Having resources to offer competitive scholarships, create student programming and offer a dynamic learning environment are key ways philanthropy can make a broader impact for the school.”

The campus will begin enrolling its first cohort of first-time freshmen to begin taking courses next fall.