When it was dedicated on October 24, 2003, Lafayette's 90,000-square-foot engineering complex gained both a new look and a new name. The exceptional generosity of Sarkis '51 and Bobbye Acopian enabled the College to renovate and modernize its existing engineering facilities to create an academic building designed to address the unique needs of 21st-century learners.

"The project is large in scope," says James P. Schaffer, director of engineering, adding that it "benefits students in many ways, including increasing opportunities for collaborative research with faculty, a hallmark of engineering at Lafayette. It also helps us build on our strong record of success in recruiting and retaining a diverse group of outstanding students."

Six academic programs are housed in the Center: computer science, chemical engineering, civil & environmental engineering, electrical & computer engineering, mechanical engineering, and Lafayette's distinctive A.B. engineering program for students interested in integrating engineering and the liberal arts. Acopian contains high-tech classrooms and laboratories. Among the facility's most innovative (and popular) features are the learning centers that students in each major helped to design to support team projects and other special assignments.

Lafayette Engineering