Queen’s University announced today that the Queen’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences has been transformed into Smith Engineering after a $100 million donation from Stephen J.R. Smith, a philanthropist, Queen’s Engineering alumnus, and namesake of the Queen’s Smith School of Business.

A crowd sporting a distinct mix of suits and purple jackets gathered at Mitchell Hall on Queen’s campus for the announcement this morning at 11 a.m. After an opening performance by the kilt-clad Queen’s marching band, representatives from business and engineering at Queen’s gave speeches.

Principal Patrick Deane took the stage to make the official announcement, proclaiming the faculty the "Stephen J.R. Smith Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science," or "Smith Engineering"for short.

This donation is the largest ever made to an engineering faculty in Canada, as well as being one of the largest to any university in Canada.

“The significance of this investment, and the renaming of the faculty, signal the beginning of a new era—one that builds on a foundation of 130 years of excellence," stated Deane.

The name now matches the Smith School Of Business, named in 2015 after a $50 million donation from Smith. 

"The majority of the $100 million gift will be endowed to provide an enduring legacy of talent and resources from around the world for generations to come. The balance will enable the development and implementation of new programs, and investments in research, technology and equipment," said Kevin Deluzio, dean of Smith Engineering. "It is about changing how we teach so our graduates can change the world they live in and help solve the grand challenges facing humanity."

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