RELLIS Academic Alliance staff and faculty welcome students this semester to the newly opened, second Texas A&M System academic building on the 2,000-acre RELLIS Campus in Bryan.
“The completion of the second phase of Texas A&M System’s academic buildings at RELLIS strengthens the programs currently offered and opens the door for exciting and innovative new opportunities,” says John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. “I look forward to seeing the RELLIS Campus continue to grow and serve the surrounding Brazos Valley region and beyond.”
The 48,000 square-foot building includes classrooms and laboratories, incorporating state-of-the-art teaching and technology, as well as faculty offices and spaces for student collaboration. Most notably, the $28 million building provides the needed space for engineering labs and classrooms to facilitate upcoming academic engineering programs, a Learning Resource Center, and an auditorium.
“The opening of our second academic building marks a great moment for all of us,” says Dr. Nancy Shankle, Provost of the RELLIS Academic Alliance. “The facilities provide more opportunities for students to learn in state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories and learning resource spaces, and will inspire students and faculty to work across disciplinary boundaries, thus preparing students to be innovative problem-solvers.”
Currently, ten Texas A&M System regional universities and Stephen F. Austin State University offer a combined 25 bachelor’s degree programs in subjects ranging from criminal justice, social work, and public administration to biology, health sciences, and computer science.
“We are very excited to mark the opening of our second academic building,” says Admissions Coordinator Dalton Jones. “With dedicated areas for welcoming new and prospective students and fostering relationships with current ones, we are sure that this building will continue to allow students to find a home within RELLIS while they pursue one of our highly competitive programs.”
The A&M System opened the first academic building in this complex in August 2019. The nearly 69,000 square-foot-building includes classrooms, biology labs, faculty offices, study areas, and student services offices.
In fall 2019, the Blinn College District opened an 83,000-square-foot facility on the RELLIS Campus. These classrooms and laboratories provide space for an innovative partnership that grants access for students to earn associate degrees or complete lower-division coursework that may be needed for a bachelor’s degree. The proximity to the RELLIS Academic Complex makes this unique collaborative relationship possible, combining a major university system and a community college at a single location.
For more information about the RELLIS Academic Alliance visit rellis.tamus.edu/academicalliance/.
Download footage of the new facility on Vimeo: vimeo.com/500971557.
