October 9, 2019
New Entrepreneurship Center to be Celebrated with Ceremonial Groundbreaking
MD & Local Officials to Join BSU Community to Mark Start of Construction
MEDIA CONTACT: Damita Chambers, dchambers@bowiestate.edu, 301-832-2628 mobile
(BOWIE, Md.) – Marking a significant expansion of local space for business innovation, dozens of Maryland and local officials join the Bowie State University community to mark the start of construction of a residence hall and entrepreneurship center with a ceremonial groundbreaking on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. at the university’s Charlotte Robinson Hall, Lawn.
Construction on the Entrepreneurship Living-Learning Community is slated to begin in February 2020, with completion planned by July 2021. Among the officials expected to attend Thursday's event are Maryland Senator Douglas J.J. Peters, District 23 (Prince George’s County), Robert Brennan, executive director, Maryland Economic Development Commission (MEDCO), Tom Sadowski, vice chancellor for economic development, University System of Maryland, and Alfred D. Lott, Bowie city manager.
(from left to right) Lisa Smith, executive director, Bowie Business Innovation Center; Tom Sadowski, vice chancellor for economic development, University System of Maryland; Robert Brennan, executive director, Maryland Economic Development Commission; Maryland Senator Douglas J.J. Peters, District 23 (Prince George’s County); Aminta H. Breaux, president of Bowie State University; Ray Gilly, Prince George’s County Deputy Chief Administrative Office; Johnetta Hardy, executive director of Entrepreneurship Academy; Bob Shepko, division president, Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions
Dr. Aminta H. Breaux, president, Bowie State University
Maryland Senator Douglas J.J. Peters, District 23 (Prince George's County)
Ray Gilly, Prince George’s County Deputy Chief Administrative Office
Lisa Smith, executive director, Bowie Business Innovation Center
Robert Brennan, executive director, Maryland Economic Development Commission (MEDCO)
Brent Swinton, vice president for institutional advancement, Bowie State University
The residence hall will house more than 500 students and become the new home of the university’s Entrepreneurship Academy, as well as the Bowie Business Innovation Center (Bowie BIC), the first business accelerator located at a Maryland historically black university. Not only will it meet the university’s growing demand for on-campus student housing, but the facility will also provide retail space that will be open to the public, space to house Bowie State student businesses, a student makerspace, technology-infused classrooms and more.
The $42 million project is substantially funded with tax-exempt bonds through the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO). Balfour Beatty Construction, the lead contractor for the project, is partnering with Smoot Construction, a minority-owned general contractor, and Design Collective, Inc., a national, award-winning design firm.
###
About Bowie State University
Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business, and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about BSU, visit bowiestate.edu.