They weren’t born yet when Henry Rowan and his late wife, Betty, donated $100 million to their school in 1992—the vast majority of students who are studying thermodynamics in the College of Engineering building, conducting virtual reality research at the South Jersey Technology Park or interning in any number of industry offices or government labs throughout New Jersey and beyond.
But they are here now, 1,100 strong, and they are about to benefit even more from the generosity of the South Jersey industrialist and his family. In December, the Henry M. Rowan Family Foundation committed $15 million to establish an endowment at the University that bears the Rowan name, dedicating the contribution exclusively to the college that now, too, will carry that name.
The gift is the second largest in the University’s history, after the original Rowan gift. The Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering becomes just the second named college at Rowan, joining the William G. Rohrer College of Business, established in 2005 following a $10 million pledge from the William G. Rohrer Charitable Foundation.
“Henry Rowan and his family have impacted education in New Jersey for generations to come,” said Dr. Ali Houshmand, president of Rowan University. “The first Rowan gift enabled us, among other initiatives, to establish the College of Engineering. This new endowment enables us to enhance an already-strong program, to increase access into the high-demand college, to grow our research opportunities and to offer more scholarships to our students. It will support critical initiatives such as our new engineering Ph.D. program and the Henry Rowan Globalization Fellowship Program that funds study and work abroad.
“As we work to carry on the legacy of Mr. Rowan, we can think of no more appropriate and permanent tribute than a College of Engineering that bears his name and celebrates the lasting benefit his generosity continues to have on engineering education,” he added.
When Henry and Betty Rowan donated that $100 million to then-Glassboro State College a little more than two decades ago, they made just one major request of the school: improve engineering education.
The institution did just that, introducing an innovative approach to engineering education that included, as a hallmark, eight semesters of engineering clinics. Those clinics, which are twice as many as those offered at most other colleges, propel students into hands-on work from first semester freshman year through graduation. The college also is noted for its multidisciplinary collaborations and for providing real-life experiences during which students work with clients, often serving as those organizations’ de facto R&D arm.
From the start, the college also offered small class sizes, opportunities to conduct research starting at the undergraduate level and state-of-the-art equipment that students in other schools wouldn’t normally get to use until graduate school.
“My father and our family have been pleased by all that the College of Engineering has accomplished in such a short time. Rowan University has indeed transformed engineering education. We see the results on campus in the research our students and professors undertake. We also see the results in the partnerships with well-respected corporations and with the increased funding that government organizations such as the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health award the College,” said Virginia Rowan Smith, vice president of the Henry M. Rowan Family Foundation.
“While the College of Engineering has continued to grow in scope and in prestige, it still has many opportunities not only to meet the shifting demands of students, but also those of business and government to educate our future engineers, inventors and entrepreneurs,” she added. “This endowment will provide essential resources to ensure that Rowan University prepares competitive students who will excel in their careers and make contributions to our world.”
The Rowan endowment will support some of the University’s most critical goals, what President Houshmand and others call the “four pillars”—access, aordability, quality and serving as a driver of the regional economy.
The administration expects to use the gift as it doubles enrollment at the College of Engineering in the near future to fund more scholarships, to build on existing curricular offerings and to fuel the research and innovation that is increasingly spurring patents, product commercialization and new businesses on (and from) the campus.
Perhaps no one is more excited by the latest gift than Dr. Anthony Lowman, College of Engineering dean. At the college helm for just two years, the multiple patent holder and long-time educator was attracted to the University because of its vision for growth and its commitment to build an innovative engineering program.
During the last two years, the college has added 11 faculty positions. This fall, it welcomed a record 375 first-year students and introduced, among other programs, a department of biomedical engineering and a Ph.D. program.
The latest Rowan gift will open more avenues for engineering education, research and innovation as the college prepares the future engineers, entrepreneurs and inventors who will address the needs of tomorrow’s society.
“The Rowan family’s initial gift allowed us to develop an outstanding engineering school that is a leader in undergraduate education. This latest gift enables us to move forward on our path to become a comprehensive College of Engineering that’s a leader in undergraduate and graduate education as well as an innovative research college focused on designing solutions for real-world problems,” said Lowman, who was fininishing his B.S. in chemical engineering at the University of Virginia when the Rowans made the initial gift. “This endowment will enable us to further develop programs demanded by students and industry in an increasingly more technology-dependent society.”
Catherine Ni ’00 is one, among hundreds of alumni, who knows what a Rowan engineering degree means. A member of the first class, she received a full scholarship. Today, she works for Lockheed Martin as the senior program manager of International Apache® Sensor Programs.
“I could have enrolled in a number of engineering programs,” she said. “I took a chance on a brand-new college and was excited and nervous about being (among) the first Rowan engineering students. I knew I was getting a good education. I understand now just how superior it was. Yes, it ensured I graduated with exceptional technical skills, but it also provided me with extensive experience in collaborating on multidisciplinary projects while developing excellent communication skills. Rowan engineering didn’t just prepare me to be an engineer, it also prepared me to be a technology and business leader. When I heard about the new endowment, I realized that I wasn’t just part of the Class of 2000, but I was part of a legacy that just made a huge leap into the next phase of greatness, all because of the Rowans and their passion for developing future generations.”
R.J. Tallarida Jr., associate vice president for University Advancement and executive director of the Rowan University Foundation, echoed Ni’s sentiments while acknowledging the Rowan family as among the most generous philanthropists in the nation. Tallarida noted that Mr. Rowan’s vision and leadership in philanthropy inspired countless others to contribute to the University. Since July 2011, when Houshmand became president and since the acquisition of two medical schools, he and the University Advancement staff raised more than $38 million in new gifts and pledges, including this recent Rowan Family Foundation pledge of $15 million.
As contributions from the Rowan family come full circle, they promise to impact an important part of the University and make a difference for thousands. “We are grateful that Mr. Rowan and his family are so deeply invested in securing the future of engineering education at the University and in the region,” Tallarida said.