TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— The Lilly Endowment has provided the largest single contribution in Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology’s history.
Rose-Hulman received 30.5 Million dollars from Lilly Endowment Inc. from its College and Community Collaboration (CCC) initiative. This money will be used to fund their Trails to Innovation project. The project includes building Innovation Grove, a entrepreneurial district said to foster innovation.
Innovation Grove is set to contain many features including, Rose Hulman Ventures, an engineering consulting, technology design and development firm. It will also house the new state-of-the-art Surgical Center for Hip and Knee Replacements in partnership with Union Health and the Indiana Joint Replacement Institute. They will also be housing STEM and Robotics Education Programs and the Sawmill Society which will be a spot for alumni and supporters to come mentor future innovators.
“We are incredibly grateful to Lilly Endowment for its generous support of Innovation Grove,” said Rose-Hulman President Robert A. Coons. “This transformative grant will enable us to create a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem that not only enhances the educational experience for our students but also drives economic growth and innovation in the Terre Haute community. By fostering collaboration between students, faculty, and industry partners, Innovation Grove will help shape the future of innovation and entrepreneurship in our region. We are excited to embark on this journey and see the profound impact it will have on our campus and beyond.”
The whole campus will be powered by a 5 MW Solar Farm and is expected to save $100,000 annually as well as promote clean energy. They will also be working the campus into the existing trail system. Rose-Hulman is one of 13 of Indiana’s higher education institutions receiving grants from the CCC. Construction on innovation Grove is set to begin October 2024 and a grand opening is scheduled for summer of 2026.
