Feb. 28, 2025–Six more partners have invested in Saint Joseph and its skilled workforce through their support of Missouri Western State University’s new Houlne Center for Convergent Technology.
“The Houlne Center’s goal is to strengthen the region’s skilled workforce, and it will take people, programs, and places to make that happen,” said Marc Archambault, vice president of advancement and executive director of the foundation. “Taken together, these additional gifts cover each of those core areas, supporting the Center’s general fund, additional facility expansion, instructional excellence and student scholarships.”
Nestle-Purina
A space near the Houlne Center’s front entrance has been named the Nestle-Purina Gathering Space in recognition of the company’s six-figure contribution to the project. The Nestle-Purina Gathering Space will be a starting point for tours for K-12 schools, economic development leaders, prospective college students, elected officials and employees of local companies participating in workforce training or mentoring students about future careers in industry or cybersecurity.
Bradley Family
Across the atrium from the Nestle-Purina Gathering Space, the Bradley Family Conference Room honors the generous support of St. Joseph’s Bradley family. Equipped with videoconferencing capabilities, the space will enable faculty-led student groups to interact virtually with and learn from manufacturing leaders throughout the region, the nation, or even the world. The Conference Room will also host delegations aimed at attracting new industries to the Saint Joseph region.
Thevenot Family
Through a gift-in-kind contribution from the Thevenot family, now operating as TEAM MIRACLE via its local, client-facing business, Veritas Systems Construction, the Center complex will expand with the addition of a 10,000-square-foot equipment storage facility adjacent to the main building. The new structure will be named the Thevenot Family Building in honor of original co-founders Martial Thevenot and his father Edouard Thevenot. The storage facility will initially serve as a space to house industrial vehicles, raw materials for the labs, and larger equipment when not in use. Utilities will be run to the building in the event that one day it might be converted into another industry teaching lab.
Beavers Charitable Trust
The Beavers Charitable Trust, a heavy civil engineering industry organization, has provided funds to establish a Professor of Practice in Construction Engineering Technology at Missouri Western. Missouri Western becomes only the second institution in the state, and one of only a few in the nation, to hold a Beavers professorship. Tiffany Davis will be the first faculty member to hold the new professorship. Professors of practice are specialized faculty members who are seasoned practitioners from business or industry able to draw extensively upon real-world experience. The new Professorship will help ensure the Houlne Center can deliver exceptional instruction in construction engineering technology, including offering students unique, real-world learning experiences like job-site or company field trips or the chance to compete against other college students in regional or national skills challenges.
Anonymous Donor
An anonymous donor has committed $100,000 per year for five years to provide scholarships for any students taking their lab classes in engineering technology or cybersecurity in the Center.
Pete and Paul Gray
Brothers Pete and Paul Gray each contributed $100,000 to establish the Joe Gray Memorial Scholarship for manufacturing students.
All told, nearly 30 partners have so far contributed over $7.2 million in private funding to make the Houlne Center a reality, including $6 million in general support, $500,000 for industry-experienced faculty support, and $700,000 for scholarships for students pursing Engineering Technology or Cybersecurity.
Missouri Western State University is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit missouriwestern.edu.