New STEM Hub Lets San Diego College Chase Tech Big Leagues

The University of San Diego has kicked off construction on a brand‑new STEM building that will broaden its science and engineering courses. The new structure, called the Shiley STEM Initiative building, will house three floors of labs and classrooms in a 70, 000‑square‑foot space. Its construction was made possible by a $75 million donation from philanthropist Darlene Marcos Shiley, the largest gift the university has ever received. The university began offering engineering classes in 1987, and in 2012 the program was renamed the Shiley‑Marcos School of Engineering after a $20 million contribution from Shiley. In 2018, the Belanich family added another $10 million to help grow engineering facilities. Now, with the new center, USD hopes to attract more students interested in STEM and compete with nearby schools that have much larger engineering programs.San Diego is home to UC San Diego, which enrolls about 10 000 engineering students, and San Diego State University with roughly 4 200. USD currently has fewer than 1 000 students in those fields, so the new building is a strategic move to increase its presence in technology education. The facility will offer modern labs, collaborative spaces, and cutting‑edge equipment that can support research and innovation. This expansion reflects a broader trend of universities investing in STEM to meet workforce demands and drive local economic growth. By providing state‑of‑the‑art resources, USD aims to position itself as a competitive option for students who want hands‑on experience in science and engineering. The project signals the university’s commitment to education that prepares students for high‑skill careers in a rapidly changing world.