Wichita State’s original Innovation Campus building will be renamed for the university’s recently deceased president, John Bardo. The Kansas Board of Regents Wednesday (June 19) approved the name change, recommended by WSU Interim President Andy Tompkins.
“President Bardo had an amazing vision for WSU that transformed the university and the campus,” Tompkins told the Regents. “The Experiential Engineering building, with its 25 engineering laboratories and community makerspace, was a reflection of his vision of applied learning that helped launch the Innovation Campus expansion.”
“President Bardo worked tirelessly to transform Wichita State University into a model of innovation, research and applied learning,” said Kansas Board of Regents Chair Dennis Mullin. “It’s fitting that Wichita State pays tribute to his legacy by rededicating the first Innovation Campus building as the John Bardo Center.”
Bardo, who became the university’s 13th president in 2012, died March 12, following a long illness. He was known as an innovator, urban affairs scholar and deep believer in the value of public research universities. He transformed the vision of the university, leading it through a period of rapid growth focused on applied learning for students and the economic growth of the region.
Interim president Tompkins told the Regents in his request: “It has been our history to name a building after former presidents, and we hope you will concur that this is an appropriate building on which to remember the contributions of President Bardo.”
When President Bardo announced Innovation Campus plans in August 2014, he said, “Twenty years from now we want people to say that the Innovation Campus changed the economy of this community and made it possible for my child to stay here."
He said the Experiential Engineering Building was key to the university's strategic vision of being internationally recognized for applied learning and research. Dr. Bardo said he was especially pleased that the building’s main entrance and Cybertron International lobby created a gateway that faced south toward the historic Fairmount neighborhood and north along the main pedestrian walkway that runs the length of Innovation Campus.
President Tompkins said the university plans to rededicate the building as the John Bardo Center in October.
The building opened in January 2017 as an experience-based learning environment for bringing engineering fundamentals to life. In addition to College of Engineering laboratories, the building includes the GoCreate community makerspace and laboratories for the National Institute for Aviation research and industry partners, including the Dassault Systemes 3-D Experience Center.
