After six years of hard work, the University of Guam Endowment Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) signed documents to close a $21.7M loan at a ceremony held Dec. 5.
 
The loan will be used to construct the University’s newest buildings: a 70,000 sq. ft. Student Services Center and a two-level, 16,000 sq. ft. School of Engineering.
 
“The beauty of the University is at two levels: one being aesthetic and one being academic,” said UOG President Dr. Robert Underwood. “Part of our Good to Great process has identified the student experience as being our number one concern, and we’re going to take that to the next level with the new Student Services Building and School of Engineering.”
 
The new Student Services Center will be the hub of student activity on campus, Underwood said. The three-level, energy-efficient building will accommodate increasing enrollment growth as the University moves forward in its Vision 2025 Physical Master Plan.
 
The Center will house enrollment services such as recruitment, admissions, financial aid, etc. Student Government Association offices, a Student health Center, the Triton Bookstore, and new cafeteria will also relocate to the new building.
 
The School of Engineering will be connected to the existing College of Natural and Applied Sciences building and will help satisfy the island’s demand for engineers. Guiding the new school is Dr. Shahram Khosrowpanah, who was recently named interim Dean.
 
“The partnership between the UOG Endowment Foundation and USDA has been ongoing for many years and is instrumental in helping move projects like these along,” said UOG Endowment Foundation Chair Jesse Leon Guerrero. “I’d like to thank everyone from the University community for their help and support.”
 
UOG Endowment Foundation Executive Director Janiece Sablan anticipates construction on the two buildings to begin in early 2017.
 
The last major construction to take place on the UOG campus was in 2006, when the Jesus S. and Eugenia A. Leon Guerrero Business and Public Administration Building was completed. The new buildings are a part of the University’s Vision 2025 Physical Master Plan to build the 21st Century Campus.