Harris Corporation Commits $2 Million to Georgia Tech's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

/PRNewswire/ -- Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) , an international communications and information technology company, has signed an agreement to make a $2 million donation to the Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). The gift, made through the Harris Foundation, will help support a capital campaign for construction of a new ECE headquarters and the renovation of the school's 47-year-old Van Leer Building, where some 7,000 students receive instruction each year.

Harris will donate $500,000 each year for four years beginning in 2010 -- the anticipated completion date of the Georgia Tech Foundation's private fund drive for the new facilities. Specifically, the Harris gift is intended for construction of an auditorium or other similar space. Harris has a decades-long partnership with Georgia Tech and its School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, which is the largest producer of electrical and computer engineers by degree in the nation. The company employs nearly 200 of the school's graduates.

Howard L. Lance, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Harris, and Dr. G.P. "Bud" Peterson, president of Georgia Tech, signed an agreement for the donation during a special ceremony at the Harris Customer Briefing Center in Melbourne, Florida. The event also included a reception attended by Harris employees who are Georgia Tech graduates and by other representatives from the university.

"While it may be tempting for corporations to reduce educational support during challenging economic times, at Harris we believe that this is exactly the right time to invest in our company's future by supporting excellent schools like Georgia Tech, whose graduates have helped make Harris a national and global leader in the communications and information technology sectors," said Lance. "Our investments in education and university partnerships pay dividends many times over."

"Our faculty and students are currently scattered across 10 buildings around the campus, the Van Leer classrooms are outdated, and the building lacks adequate laboratory facilities," said Dr. Gary S. May, professor and Steve W. Chaddick School Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering, who attended the check presentation. "Clearly, this generous lead gift from Harris Corporation provides significant momentum for the school's long-term capital needs and helps to create a new presence that will serve us well in the 21st Century."

In addition to the $2 million gift announced today, Harris has donated some $280,000 to the university since 2006. This includes a five-year, $250,000 pledge for a research lab in the Nanotechnology Research Center, and another $30,000 to support various programs within the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

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Young Harris College Announces Fall Visitation Days

Young Harris College will host two Fall Visitation Days for high school students interested in learning more about Young Harris College. The all-day events designed for high school students and their families are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19, and Saturday, Oct. 31. Activities are scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and include information sessions on admissions, financial aid, campus life, campus tours and the opportunity to meet current students and faculty.

To register for a Fall Visitation Day or for more information, contact Kelli Fell in the Office of Admissions at kfell@yhc.edu or 1 (800) 241-3754, or register online.

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“The Future is Now!” Young Harris College Awarded Four-Year Status

Young Harris College earned approval December 9 from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to begin offering bachelor’s degrees in the fall of 2009.

The announcement came at the end of the 2008 SACS Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. “This is a great day in Young Harris College history,” said Jerry Nix, chairman of the Board of Trustees and CFO of Genuine Parts Company. “It is a testimony to the strength of the faculty, staff and students of the college.”

SACS approved Young Harris’ plans to offer bachelor’s degrees in biology, business and public policy, English and music. These degrees represent a major in each of the college’s four academic divisions.

“We are pleased to offer our students the opportunity to stay at Young Harris and earn their bachelor’s degree,” said Young Harris President Cathy Cox. “And this is only the beginning. Our Strategic Plan calls for adding majors on a regular basis over the next few years.”

Young Harris is in an unprecedented building program to support the anticipated growth of the college. A new 200-bed residence hall is under construction and will be completed in time for the fall 2009 session. The Board of Trustees has approved several additional buildings. These include a recreation center, a campus center (that will include a student center, dining hall and library) and an administration building. Additional buildings will follow in the next decade as part of a comprehensive master plan for the beautiful mountain campus.

The college is also adding faculty at a record pace. A dozen new faculty members were hired for the 2008-2009 school year and a dozen more are slated to be brought on board for 2009-2010.

Young Harris College provides an outstanding opportunity for students in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. For students in those areas, Young Harris is a close, convenient choice for college. Now, the opportunity to earn a four-year degree makes Young Harris an even more attractive option.

Sophomore Meg Patterson, a biology major, plans to stay and earn her bachelor’s degree at Young Harris. “The science department is really strong here. The one-on-one interaction with the faculty is very important to me and I know I can get that here at Young Harris.”

“It is important to note,” President Cox added, “that as we grow and add degrees, our vision is to maintain the traditions and unique environment that make Young Harris so distinctive. We currently enroll 650 students. Our goal is to eventually grow the college to a total student body between 1,200 and 1,500. It is important that our students continue to benefit from small classes and personal interaction with our distinguished faculty.”

Many current Young Harris students have already indicated they will return next fall to complete their degrees. As the number of four-year majors grows, more students will choose to stay at, or transfer to, Young Harris College.

“Young Harris College provides one of the best opportunities in private higher education in Georgia,” stated President Cox. “We look forward to welcoming our first junior class next fall.”

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