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Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering celebrates Fields Engineering Center dedication May 11

Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 | 

engineering6_largeStudents in Lipscomb University’s Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering began the spring semester in January moving into their new home in the 26,800-square-foot Fields Engineering Center, uniting engineering faculty and students under one roof for the first time.

The Lipscomb community will officially mark the opening of this facility with a dedication ceremony and celebration on Thursday, May 11. The dedication ceremony begins at 11 a.m. and will be followed by a lunch and tours of the new facility at 11:45 a.m. The event is open to the public. R.S.V.P. by May 5 at lipscomb.edu/fieldsdedication.

“We are looking forward to officially dedicating this new facility that we have already been using this semester and celebrating how these new facilities are greatly enhancing the educational opportunities for students, both present and future as they explore and discover the field of engineering in a state-of-the-art learning environment,” said Justin A. Myrick, dean of Lipscomb’s Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering.

The building houses collaborative learning spaces, flexible teaching areas and labs among other features. The building is also a learning tool in itself with its exposed and color coded MPE ducting, piping and conduit in lab and learning spaces; central monitoring of mechanical systems and rooftop access for solar experimentation.

The sustainability features also provide valuable real-world learning opportunities for students. Features include; a white roof, energy-efficient lighting, mechanical and plumbing systems designed at a LEED silver level, storm water management through planting and infiltrations, climate-appropriate materials for site landscaping and concrete structure that includes recycled content.

The Fields Engineering Center is named for longtime ExxonMobil executive Charles Fields and his wife, Margaret. A 1964 graduate of Lipscomb Academy, Fields graduated with a chemical engineering degree from Vanderbilt University and began his career in Houston, Texas, with Humble Oil and Refining Company, which later became ExxonMobil Corporation.

In 2001, Fields was named executive vice president of ExxonMobil Development Company, the company responsible for planning and executing all major oil and gas developments for the corporation. He retired from ExxonMobil in 2006 after more than 38 years of service. He was a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers throughout his career and lived in a number of locations, including Texas, Louisiana, Florida, New Jersey and Australia.

For more information about the Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering, visit engineering.lipscomb.edu.