Prescription for Success: Eli Lilly and Company Supports Students through Generous Contribution to William States Lee College of Engineering
Grand opening of renovated senior design space includes announcement of new partner: “Industrial Solutions Lab, powered by Lilly”
Charlotte leaders, students and Eli Lilly and Company representatives were on hand Friday, Sept. 6, to celebrate the newly renovated William States Lee College of Engineering Industrial Solutions Lab, located in Cameron Hall. The grand opening also marked the beginning of a new partnership with Lilly. In July 2024, Lilly made a contribution to the UNC Charlotte Foundation which enabled endowments to support UNC Charlotte’s engineering students.
“This gift is an excellent example of how public-private partnerships benefit the University and our students, our industry partners and also the Charlotte region and state,” said Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber. “We look forward to growing our partnership with Lilly as they build their presence in the region.”
Lilly’s contribution includes an endowment that is earmarked to ensure the continued success of the renovated space, which was announced during the grand opening as the, “Industrial Solutions Lab, powered by Lilly.” Within this specially equipped laboratory, students collaborate on their senior design projects during their last two semesters. The gift also creates an endowment for multiple scholarships to expand students’ academic opportunities and success.
“Lilly’s generous injection of funding demonstrates the company’s commitment to developing skilled engineering talent through hands-on learning,” said Robert Keynton, Dean of the W. S. Lee College of Engineering. “It’s also fulfilling to see another project funded by the North Carolina General Assembly’s recent ‘Engineering North Carolina’s Future’ investment come to life in the renovation of this student space.”
About the Senior Design Program
The Senior Design Program has long been supported and funded by a growing network of industry partners that bring real-world challenges to engineering seniors to solve. In exchange, the partners receive a working solution to their problem as well as graduates who now have hands-on training in their specific field.
Jim Hartman, director of the Industrial Solutions Lab, noted the program has grown to become UNC Charlotte’s largest partner-based learning initiative with an average of 500 students working in interdisciplinary teams on about 90 projects each year. Hartman has expanded the sponsorship rate to 86%, one of the highest levels of industry participation in the country.
Industry support is integral to hands-on learning in an engineering student experience, especially visible in Charlotte’s senior design projects that connect theory with practical, real-world application. Lilly’s contribution is the latest pillar in the W.S. Lee College of Engineering emphasis on experiential learning.
“Lilly’s support of the Industrial Solutions Lab represents a significant step in creating experiential learning opportunities that equip future engineers with the necessary skills to innovate and deliver engineering solutions to the world’s toughest problems,” stated Rosa Manso, AVP Lilly Concord Site Head. “By leveraging our combined expertise and resources, we are not only contributing to the development of future engineers but also pushing the industry to the forefront of technological advancements that have the power to change lives.”
Parallel paths to a partnership
In 2022, the University and Lilly each announced separate new investments in projects that, respectively, would deepen regional engineering talent and increase manufacturing strength. The “Engineering North Carolina’s Future” initiative initially provided $40.6 million to UNC Charlotte, prompting discussions between Keynton and Hartman about renovating the Industrial Solutions Lab. During the same timeframe, Lilly announced it would build a $2 billion manufacturing operation in neighboring Concord, bringing hundreds of new jobs to the area.
Later that year, the leaders of both projects connected to explore shared interests in a talent pipeline that would benefit students, the University and the medicine company. Lilly signed up to sponsor its first senior design project.
Almost immediately, the caliber of UNC Charlotte’s training and students became apparent to Lilly’s leadership. With a shared mission to improve the future, the partnership was naturally aligned to help students gain applied skills for the real world. This was a top priority, not just for UNC Charlotte, but also for Lilly, which continued construction and grew closer to needing top talent for its soon-to-open positions.
While Lilly was completing its new Concord facility, the College of Engineering was upfitting a new home for the Industrial Solutions Lab. Last year, the lab moved from the old Cafeteria Activities Building near the botanical gardens to the upgraded facility in Cameron Building, situated in the heart of campus. The state-funded renovations provide students expanded space, state-of-the-art equipment and a central campus location.
Ultimately, the new facilities for Lilly and the College, located 9 miles apart on NC Hwy 29, both officially opened in 2024, paving a parallel path for the new partnership focused on the future.
“Together, Lilly and W.S. Lee College of Engineering are providing experiential learning opportunities so our Niner Engineers will have the skills to forge the future, helping make life better for people around the world,” said Keynton.
