The College of Engineering and Science (COES) at Louisiana Tech University has received a generous gift of $200,000 from Ruston engineering firm Hunt, Guillot & Associates, to support its campaign to build a new Integrated Engineering and Science Education Building. This donation from Hunt, Guillot & Associates (HGA), its second major gift to the COES project, will contribute to building the largest academic building on the Louisiana Tech campus and will provide much needed space for the project-based learning that the Louisiana Tech College of Engineering and Science is known for. The Integrated Engineering and Science Building will further cement Louisiana Tech’s reputation as a national leader in engineering and science education. Mr. Trott Hunt, founding partner and president of HGA and member of the COES’s Engineering and Science Foundation Board, notes the impact that the College has had on the company. “Louisiana Tech has played a valuable role in our company from the beginning, providing a readily available source of qualified, competent graduates that have come in and been key contributors to our success,” Hunt said. “We are proud to be able to support the program by donating to the new engineering building and feel this facility will be an important part of the school and the community for years to come.” Mr. Jay Guillot, founding partner and principal at HGA, echoes Hunt’s assertion that HGA’s commitment to Louisiana Tech is beneficial for both the University and the company. “Louisiana Tech graduates have been integral to HGA’s success and growth,” Guillot said. “HGA’s support of Louisiana Tech’s College of Engineering and Science is a way to give back and help ensure the College’s future success. The impact of that support includes graduates who can help provide HGA with a solid engineering foundation in all departments. Their well-rounded education has been a key part of HGA’s flexibility and success.” Hunt adds that in addition to professional ties to the Louisiana Tech community, family ties to the university also drive his desire to help support engineering and science at Tech. “My father-in-law, Dr. Jack Canterbury, was a respected mechanical engineering professor at Louisiana Tech for many years, and part of our donation is to honor his service to the school and its graduates,” Hunt continued. “It is exciting to be a part of the growth and be able to ensure a first class learning environment for engineering students for the future.” In addition to the Dr. Jack Canterbury Sophomore Engineering Lab, HGA’s combined gifts have established the Jay Guillot Freshman Honors Lab and the Don Plummer Freshman Honors Lab. Dr. Hisham Hegab, dean of the College of Engineering and Science, says he is appreciative of the continuing relationship between Louisiana Tech and HGA. “We are grateful to receive this additional gift from HGA for our new integrated engineering and science building,” Hegab said. “They have been a tremendous partner and supporter for our College and our students. These additional funds will allow us to fully equip two of the freshman engineering honors class labs to provide students an immersive environment for our project-driven curricula.” HGA is a multi-disciplined project management and engineering services firm headquartered in Ruston, Louisiana, with more than 450 employees, 13 locations in Louisiana, Texas, Pennsylvania, Alabama and New York, and services throughout more than 30 states, Canada and Mexico. Although private gifts to the Integrated Engineering and Science Building campaign have exceeded the original goal of $7.5 million, the scope of the project has been expanded, and the building will be approximately twice as large as initially planned. Gifts to the building are still needed to ensure that classrooms and labs are equipped and maintained with the latest technology, and named spaces are still available to thank and recognize significant contributors to the project. The new building is on schedule for groundbreaking this spring with completion expected by fall of 2017. For more information about the project and gift opportunities, contact the College of Engineering and Science at gary@latech.edu or (318) 257-4971. Written by Brandy McKnight – mcknight@latech.edu