Construction of $25 million consolidated STEM facility near Wright State’s Lake Campus wins voter approval

A $25 million facility that will provide cutting-edge science, technology, engineering and mathematics-focused programs to high school students will soon be constructed near Wright State University’s Lake Campus.

Voters in Mercer, Auglaize and Shelby counties on Aug. 2 approved a 15-year, 0.95-mill bond levy to construct the Tri Star Compact facility. The state will cover $8 million of the project, with the levy funding the remaining $17 million.

Tri Star, which is offered to high school juniors and seniors from nine area school districts, plans to work with Lake Campus officials to create programs the students can continue in college. The facility will be built directly across from the entrance to the Lake Campus.

“One of the main goals is to have that natural pipeline that would allow us to recruit those students,” said Jay Albayyari, dean of the Lake Campus. “We want them exposed to college life.”

The building will consolidate the compact’s 15 existing programs, which are currently spread across six locations within the compact’s nine school districts. The new location will simplify bus routes, provide space for new programs and, because of the proximity to Lake Campus, allow for more collaboration with the university.

Tri Star Director Tim Buschur said officials are aiming to have the new building completed by 2019.

“This is just another example of Wright State being innovative when it comes to attracting students,” said Albayyari.