As this year comes to a close, I thought that I would take a look back at some of the major campus construction projects that have been undertaken throughout 2016. We were grateful to have the College of Business building funded through State of Louisiana Capital Outlay funds, but most of these projects were funded through private or self-generated funding sources. There have also been quite a few smaller projects like renovations, maintenance and land acquisition projects that are not evident to most people, but that require a lot of time and resources to address. None of these projects could be successful without the leadership of my administrative team, particularly Sam Wallace and Jim King. We are actively planning numerous other projects that should move forward in 2017. Most notably, we hope to secure final approval for state funding for the Integrated Engineering and Science Education Building. That building has been completely designed and is ready to go out for bids. We will also be looking at advancing other projects related to our campus master plan. We always appreciate the private gifts of those who want to help us on various projects and there are numerous opportunities to contribute if you are interested. I am particularly interested in focusing on creating more “pleasant walks and noble trees” for future generations of Tech students. This will be seen in the approximately 100 new trees that we will be planting across campus in early 2017 as well as improvements to sidewalks and pedestrian-scale lighting. Here are a few pics of 2016 projects: