The University announced the renaming of the College of Engineering to the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering on Friday in honor of a $25 million gift to the college from Catherine Styslinger. The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees held a special-called meeting to approve the gift earlier that morning.
Lee Styslinger Jr. was a businessman and community leader who attended the University as a mechanical engineering major. He left the University to assume ownership of Altec Inc., a global provider of equipment and services to the electric utility, telecommunications and other industries. He died in 2021.
His wife, Catherine Styslinger, said her late husband would be appreciative of the donation and that she hoped it would benefit the college.
“I just hope it’s going to create more interest in the school of engineering,” she said. “And I think it offers a lot of possibilities”.
Cliff Henderson, dean of the College of Engineering, acknowledged the significant impact the donation would make on research opportunities, student involvement and faculty.
“This will produce funds that we will use to really take advantage of opportunities in both our educational missions, our research missions, and really also our service missions out in the community,” he said.
Henderson said the college is working to engage students in engineering opportunities with new degree programs, and the gift will give the college “early resources to really move those programs along faster.”
The Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering has 5,561 students enrolled across 14 undergraduate degree programs and 16 graduate programs.
Students in the college also expressed their gratitude to Styslinger for the gift.
“For me, this is just a sign of great things to come,” said Morgan Johnson, a junior majoring in civil engineering and a College of Engineering ambassador. “I think it’s just really exciting for the students.”
Jesse Park, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering and a College of Engineering ambassador, spoke on behalf of engineering students at the announcement.
“The Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering hosts, educates and graduates each year one of the largest collections of the brightest minds and most driven students from around the nation,” he said, thanking Catherine Styslinger for the gift.
