OU officials announced plans to construct an Engineering Practice Facility on campus Monday, a project that is being financed by a $5 million gift from ExxonMobil Corp.

Catherine Bishop, vice president of Public Affairs, said engineering students will be able to use the facility's space to work on and construct various engineering projects, including the Society of Automotive Engineers' assembly of a race cars for engineering competitions.

Thomas Landers, dean of the College of Engineering, said the facility will give students new opportunities.

"The engineering practice facility will afford our students unique opportunities in real-world, hands-on, interdisciplinary projects, leadership and teamwork," Landers said. "This will add true value to their degrees and to the companies that hire them."

Officials are calling the facility one-of-a-kind.

"The engineering practice facility is unique in that it is designed to both promote collaboration among diverse technical disciplines and create strong linkage to our community," Landers said. "It promotes the engineering profession across the full spectrum of K-12 outreach all through to undergraduate engineering projects and leadership development."

Landers said the facility will aid in the development of future engineers.

"The engineering practice facility provides students the finest space to gain practical experience in hands-on cross-disciplinary team design projects," Landers said. "It will also become a center of engineering student life with facilities to promote academic success and leadership development."

Officials said the facility will be named in the honor of the late Lawrence G. Rawl, an OU alumnus and former ExxonMobil CEO who died earlier this year.

"We are especially proud that the gift is given in honor of the late Lawrence G. Rawl, who was one of the university's most distinguished and generous graduates," said OU President David L. Boren.

Lee Raymond, chairman and CEO for ExxonMobil, said it was important to name the facility after Rawl, citing the former CEO's past accomplishments.

"I know [Rawl] would be honored and humbled by having this premier engineering facility named after him on his alma mater's campus," Raymond said.

Bishop said the facility will be located just north of Craddock Hall and just east of Felgar Hall.

A press release said the project is scheduled to begin in spring 2006 and is expected to be finished in fall 2007.

The facility will be a 40,000 square-foot building, with 10,000 square feet being allocated to work space, according to the press release.

The construction of the facility will be part of a multi-phase plan for a larger project.

Plans for the building also include, among other things, a reference library, a tutoring center for all engineering students and project team conference rooms.
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