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September 10, 1874

Chauncey ���Ĵ�ý and nine of his friends established the Terre Haute School of Industrial Science “for the intellectual and practical education of young men."

December 1874

Chauncey ���Ĵ�ý provided 10 acres of land for building a new college, which had been incorporated as the Terre Haute School of Industrial Science. This location is now at the corner of 13th and Locust streets in downtown Terre Haute. A contract was later awarded to construct an academic building for $81,000, with heating added in January 1876 for $4,000, and extra amenities to campus costing an additional $1,700.

September 11, 1875

The cornerstone of the college’s original academic building (four-floor structure with 46 rooms) was laid at the corner of 13th and Locust streets in Terre Haute. The school’s name was changed to ���Ĵ�ý Polytechnic Institute.

August 13, 1877

Chauncey ���Ĵ�ý died in Terre Haute at age 88. His will provided for a bequest of more than $100,000, bringing the value of his total donations to more than $500,000. This would be approxi-mately $14 million today.

1883

Mechanical Engineering was the only major offered when ���Ĵ�ý Polytechnic Institute opened.

March 7, 1883

The Institute opened with exercises for inaugural President Charles O. Thompson, PhD. Twenty-five students enrolled with 16 freshmen, 26 sophomores, and three juniors. All were mechanical engineering majors.

June 25, 1885

Three graduates earned the college’s first diplomas. The Commencement also served as a memorial service for founding President Charles O. Thompson, PhD, who died on March 17, 1885 from a sudden illness.

1887

The first civil engineering degrees were offered.

Spring 1888

The first Heminway Gold Medal was presented at Commencement to the graduating senior having the highest class standing. Sarah Heminway donated $1,000 to endow the annual award, along with a bronze medal to the student having the highest standing after completing the first year.

Spring 1889

���Ĵ�ý became the first American college west of the Allegheny Mountains to award a chemical engineering degree, presented to Walter B. Riley.

Fall 1893

���Ĵ�ý Polytechnic Institute started an electrical engineering degree program.

November 1893

Greek organizations started to become a part of campus life, with Alpha Tau Omega becoming the first national social fraternity in the fall of 1893. ���Ĵ�ý fraternities have earned national distinction for their community service, philanthropy, academic achievements, and campus involvement. Chi Omega became the campus’ first sorority in the spring of 1996.

1902

The legend of Rosie began after students searched the countryside around the college in Terre Haute for useful elephant images to use as a mascot, inspired by the elephant’s reputation for having a long memory. In one memorable case in 1902, recorded by an Indianapolis newspaper, two students were arrested for stealing a large elephant sign that was brought to campus and used as an athletics scoreboard. An elephant mascot, eventually named “Rosie,” made its first appearance at a 1911 baseball game between ���Ĵ�ý Poly and Indiana State Normal School (now Indiana State University).

1908

���Ĵ�ý Polytechnic earned Carnegie Foundation accreditation for being of "College Rank." Serious discussions began on moving the college to provide space for growth, with new buildings; site possibilities were explored throughout the city.

June 1914

The Board of Managers, faculty, and alumni club representatives visited the Hulman Farm, a 123-acre tract that was five miles east of downtown. Three buildings were proposed, costing approximately $250,000. The land was purchased from Herman and Anton Hulman Sr.

Fall 1915

The first fundraising campaign commenced with a $500,000 goal to provide the first $300,000 for buildings (to be raised within three years) and $200,000 for an endowment fund (within five years).

1921

Demas Deming donates $100,000 which helped pave the way for the construction of the first residence hall, later named Deming Hall, on the new campus.

September 22, 1922

The cornerstone of the Main Academic Building (now known as Moench Hall) was laid, and the college was open for classes, even though construction was not entirely completed.

January 1923

All work on the original Main Building was completed. A gymnasium was featured at the north end of the top floor.

Spring 1922

The Institute’s “Dear Old ���Ĵ�ý” was written by 1922 chemical engineering alum Malcolm Scott. He played in big bands in New York City before returning to Terre Haute, and later added a degree in music from Indiana State Teacher’s College (now Indiana State University). Music and lyrics for the Institute’s Alma Mater were composed by ISU music professor Raymond Mech and later updated by his son, Andrew Mech, PhD, a ���Ĵ�ý emeritus professor of mechanical engineering.

August, 1926

Deming Hall opened as the Institute’s first residence hall, as well as being a student center, dining area, and having several small classrooms. Construction cost was $100,000.

Fall 1948

Wilbur Shook, a 1911 alumnus, donated a surplus B-29 airplane hangar that became a fieldhouse for athletics and student recreation on campus. Construction cost was $310,275. The building was later named Shook Fieldhouse in 1961 to honor his many contributions to the Institute.

1954

The campus’ first formal student center was opened in 1954 with spaces for students to gather and relax between classes. It later became the Templeton Administration Building in honor of Robert J. Templeton, which housed Offi ces for the President, Registrar, Development, Career Services, and Alumni Relations, along with the campus print shop. The original building cost was $51,425, plus $10,500 for furnishings. Renovations in 1968 cost $148,000.

September, 1960

The Institute purchased its first computer under the leadership of Darrell Criss, PhD, a longtime professor who would become head of the Department of Computer Science. This technology provided a foundation for the bachelor’s degree program in computer science to be added to the curriculum in 1968.

January 1963

Speed Hall opened to meet the growing demand for student campus housing. Eighty-five students moved in to start the second semester. The building was named in honor of 1895 alumnus William S. Speed. Construction costs were $535,000.

Fall 1964

The baseball field was named in honor of 1914 electrical engineering alumnus Art Nehf, who had been a highly decorated Major League Baseball pitcher, with a 184–120 career record in 15 major league seasons. Nehf was a member of New York Giants teams that won the World Series in 1921 and 1922, and was the winning pitcher in the series-winning games both seasons. He also played in the World Series in 1923 and 1924, and pitched for the Chicago Cubs in the 1929 World Series. Nehf led the National League in complete games in 1918, including a 21-inning performance on August 1. He is a member of the ���Ĵ�ý and the Indiana Baseball Halls of Fame.

June 1967

The first group of rising high school seniors attended the pilot year of the new Operation Catapult on-campus summer STEM camp. Sixty-seven students participated (higher than the original 40-student goal). The project-oriented program allows students to study and do research in a STEM area of interest while also getting a look at college life. Still active in 2024, Catapult was founded by Director of Admissions Paul Headdy and Professor of Mathematics/1949 alumnus Alfred Schmidt. In the years since, many of the Catapulters have returned to earn degrees from ���Ĵ�ý and launch successful STEM careers.

1968

Computer science is added as a degree within the Department of Mathematics.

Fall 1969

A 150,000-gallon elevated water tank was constructed to provide much better fire protection for campus buildings.

October, 1970

Crapo Hall was completed to provide additional classrooms for the growing academic programs and was opened for classes in December. The building was named in honor of alumnus/trustee Frederick Crapo and his wife Mildred.

Fall 1974

Construction of the New Learning Resource Center building was completed in the summer of 1974. It was renamed the John A. Logan Library when it opened that fall. Prior to its construction, the library had been a large, two-story room with metal bookshelves, reading tables, a card catalog, and a checkout desk in the B-section of Moench Hall. A learning center was added to the space in the late 1970s.

1977

The Main Building was named Moench Hall in honor of the contributions of 1929 electrical engineering alumnus Herman A. Moench, who spent 56 years as professor, Department of Electrical Engineering chair, acting president, vice president, and senior vice president. The Moench Distinguished Senior Commendation and Moench Distinguished Professorship were named after him.

Fall 1979

A promotional poster featuring a ���Ĵ�ý student skiing down the “slopes” of a snow-covered Indiana cornfi eld in front of an old barn was created to introduce ���Ĵ�ý to prospective students throughout the country. The backside of the Ski Terre Haute poster contained a variety of information, much of it humorous, about ���Ĵ�ý, Terre Haute, and Indiana. Ski Terre Haute posters have become cherished by alumni. The campaign was organized by Director of Admissions Duncan Murdoch, Assistant Director Chuck Howard, Vice President of Business Aff airs Tom Mason, Athletic Director John Mutchner, and others. 

Fall 1980

Deming and Baur-Sames-Bogart residence halls were remodeled to add housing for an additional 45 students to meet increased enrollment demand, which was a record 1,268 students.

July 1981

A $4.75 million grant from the Olin Foundation supported the building of a new classroom/laboratory building, later named Olin Hall (dedicated on October 21-22, 1983). An additional fundraising campaign supported the addition of Hadley Hall (named in honor of benefactor/1929 alumnus George Hadley and his wife, Mary, creator of Louisville-based Hadley Pottery Company, after providing $1.25 million from their estate) for administrative and admissions offices that provided a link between Olin and Moench Halls. The combined cost of the two buildings was $6.2 million.

1982

A five-week intensive course Fast Track Calculus course began for select incoming first-year students.

April 1984

The Institute’s computer commission, part of an earlier “To the Beat of a Different Drummer” study, both organized by Vice President for Planning and Data Systems A. Thomas Roper, recommended implementing computers into all aspects of the college, including providing personal desktop computers to faculty, students, and office operations, and a complete review of all curricular matters to implement computerized instruction. Clusters of desktop computers were available to students in public areas throughout campus.

Spring 1986

Chapman Root and his wife, Susan, donate $500,000 toward the Moench Hall renovation project. The Root Quadrangle was dedicated in their honor on October 8, 1986.

Spring 1986

The baseball team captured the Mayor’s Cup with a victory against crosstown rival Indiana State University at Art Nehf Field. The win became the topic of national media attention as several members of the ���Ĵ�ý team had to leave the game before its conclusion to take an exam on campus; radio newscaster Paul Harvey stated, “First things come first at ���Ĵ�ý.”

Spring 1986

During a 17-day trip to Europe, ���Ĵ�ý became the first American college basketball team to play a game in the Soviet Union. The trip was organized by then-Athletic Director and Head Coach John Mutchner. The team experienced some travel mishaps along the journey. National media reported that Mutchner was forced to make substitutions by shoe size during games.

Fall 1987

Educators from throughout the world came to campus and Terre Haute to attend the 17th Frontiers in Education conference, discussing issues regarding the future of engineering and science education.

May 1988

An eight-foot-tall steel sculpture that vividly displays a variety of steel shapes and connections was placed in a plaza north of Olin Hall to commemorate the contributions of former civil engineering professor Cecil T. Lobo. He was a faculty member for 34 years and advisor of the student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Fall 1988

Degree programs in computer engineering and applied optics were added; the Hispanic Studies program was expanded to include two new minors in Spanish and Latin American studies.

Spring 1989

Annexation by the Terre Haute City Council made ���Ĵ�ý officially a part of Terre Haute’s city limits.

October 1989

A revised Mission Statement by the Board of Managers set a goal for ���Ĵ�ý to provide the world’s best undergraduate education in engineering and science by the year 2000. A long-range planning committee was established to examine future issues affecting areas of academics, admissions, student life, and development. Board Chairman John Titsworth stated, “���Ĵ�ý wants to be the model for undergraduate engineering and science education ... We realize the challenge we have undertaken. It will take sizable resources and effective planning to accomplish our goal.”

August 1990

The innovative Integrated First Year Curriculum in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (IFYCSEM) challenged a select group of students to recognize the relationships between calculus, chemistry, physics, computer programming, introduction to design, and graphical communications by taking those first-year courses together, instead of being taught separately. Central to the curriculum was the NeXT work-station, a new computer system developed by former Apple Computer co-founder Steve Jobs. National Science Foundation provided nearly $650,000 to support the groundbreaking academic initiative.

August 1990

���Ĵ�ý established a global education program to provide select students with language skills and cultural awareness necessary for them to live and work in foreign countries. The Institute’s East Asian Studies Program was among 11 U.S. colleges participating in National Science Foundation’s Engineering Alliance for Global Education (EAGLE) initiative. The program started with Japanese language and culture courses; a partnership was opened between ���Ĵ�ý and China’s Zhejiang University after a group of faculty visited campus. A group of ���Ĵ�ý faculty and administrators later visited the Chinese institution.

March 1991

Students started providing free tutoring services to Vigo County and Clay County middle school and high school students through the Homework Hotline telephone service. It was in response to a Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce committee request to help improve the math/science skills of prospective employees. Financial assistance from the 3M Corporation supported toll-free telephone calls to come from Brazil, Indiana, and Hartford City, Indiana. Lilly Endowment Inc. support has allowed the service, now called Ask���Ĵ�ý, to continue to serve students throughout Indiana through a variety of tech tools.

October 3, 1991

Coeducation was on the horizon after the Board of Managers got the three-quarter majority vote necessary to allow female students to enroll, starting in the fall of 1995 (allowing all current students to graduate in an all-male environment). President Samuel F. Hulbert stated, “I believe that ���Ĵ�ý is headed for a rendezvous with greatness.” The four-year delay allowed the administration, faculty, and staff to lay the groundwork on campus for a smooth transition.

February 27, 1993

A 410-member Commission on the Future of ���Ĵ�ý made its fi nal report to the Board of Managers after 10,000 hours of meetings over 18 months by 10 task force committees. Commission members consisted of alumni (making up two-thirds of the group), business and industry representatives (200 diff erent companies), education and foundation representatives, government offi cials, and faculty/staff members. Priority items became the guiding principles of the Vision to be the Best fundraising campaign. Areas of concentration included academics, admissions, student life, and development/fundraising.

Spring 1993

A $2 million endowment, established with the assistance of a $500,000 challenge grant from the Kresge Foundation and additional support from the National Science Foundation, added at least $100,000 annually to the Institute’s laboratory equipment purchases.

Fall 1993

���Ĵ�ý established an educational partnership with Japan’s Kanazawa Institute of Technology, one of the country’s leading education institutions. ���Ĵ�ý students expanded their global horizons by learning Japanese on campus, and then taking a semester of language and culture courses in Japan. Faculty members have since taught at KIT, and basketball and baseball teams have played exhibition games against Japanese teams.

Winter 1993

���Ĵ�ý was selected to play a major role among seven U.S. colleges in a $15 million National Science Foundation grant to implement new ways to improve engineering education nationwide. The Institute received nearly $5 million. Major goals of the initiative were to improve the first two years of engineering and science education, implement modern instructional technology and techniques, develop programs and teaching methods to increase enrollment and retention of underrepresented minorities, emphasize cooperative learning, and ease the transition of students entering four-year engineering or science degree programs.

Fall 1994

The campus landscape grew by 69 acres resulting from the acquisition of land north and northeast of the campus. Work began to construct three large intramural fields on the property.

March 1995

���Ĵ�ý unveiled the Institute’s website, , to keep alumni, prospective students, and others informed about what’s happening on campus.

March 1995

The Alfred R. Schmidt Bell Tower was added to the end of the front entranceway. The structure honored Schmidt, a 1949 alumnus who spent 46 years as a legendary mathematics professor and administrator.

August, 1995

Classes began for the first coed class that included 80 women comprising roughly 17.3% of the total student body. Female transfer students, including eight members of the consortium serving as Resident Assistants and Sophomore Advisors, played a vital role in acclimating the first-year coeds to all aspects of academic and student life.  

June, 1995

The campus hosted the first overnight stop of Sunrayce 95, an Indianapolis-to-Golden, Colorado, solar car road race featuring ���Ĵ�ý’s Solar Phantom and 39 other North American colleges. More than 3,000 people came to see the cars scattered across the front lawn and crossing the starting line along the front entranceway. Other spectators lined the race route throughout Terre Haute and western Vigo County. The scene was replicated in 1997 when the campus hosted the fi rst overnight of Sunrayce 97 along the same route to Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Solar Phantom also participated in these cross country races in 1990, 1993, 1999 (finishing third), and 2001.

Fall 1997

The 154,000-square-foot Sports and Recreation Center was opened to provide space for student recreation, athletics, and other campus and community events. The building featured the Institute’s first indoor swimming pool.

May 1999

Members of the inaugural class of women students received their diplomas during Commencement. Chemistry/chemical engineering alumna Liza (Saunders) Davis received Heminway Gold Medal honors for having the highest grade-point average in the class.

July 1999

The Indianapolis Colts brought their preseason training camp to ���Ĵ�ý’s athletic facilities for the first of 11 summers, drawing crowds of fans and media attention to the college. During those 11 seasons, the team won one Super Bowl championship (2007) and played for another (2010).

August 30, 1999

���Ĵ�ý was listed No. 1 among 132 specialized accredited engineering colleges in U.S. News & World Report’s annual college guide — the first of 25 straight years of this distinction heading into 2024. “The ranking is a great testimonial to the quality of our people and programs. It is proof that ���Ĵ�ý has earned a national reputation as an educational leader,” said President Samuel F. Hulbert.

September 1999

A $29.7 million Lilly Endowment Inc. grant created ���Ĵ�ý Ventures to provide technical expertise to help Indiana companies prosper, while providing faculty and students with cutting-edge educational and professional STEM opportunities. A follow-up $24.9 million grant provided by the Lilly Endowment in the spring of 2003 further expanded ���Ĵ�ý Ventures’ operations and outreach.

Spring 2002

Lilly Endowment Inc. provided $6.2 million in grants to support expansion of the Homework Hotline across Indiana school regions, develop a web mail system to improve chances of taking ���Ĵ�ý student ideas to the marketplace, and create a SMART web portal to increase teaching resources to middle school teachers of science, mathematics, and technology.

June 2007

A fuel-efficient one-person vehicle won the Society of Automotive Engineers’ collegiate Supermileage Competition, achieving 1,541 miles per gallon to top 30 North American colleges and universities. Earlier, the team placed second in the Shell Eco-Marathon Americas Challenge at the California Speedway (Fontana, California), achieving 1,637 mpg with another motor configuration.

February 2010

Alumni and campus officials joined community, business, and government officials at a special Leading the Next Decade of Innovation Gala, conducted at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis. Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels was the first recipient of the Institute’s Excellence in Innovation Award.

January 2011

The Greatest Floor competition was started to help students living in residence halls beat the winter "blahs" and be united by having floors working together to compete in 24 events over the course of 24 hours on a weekend. There's a "mystery" event at the end that makes each year's competition even more special and fun. Alumni continue to return to join in the festivities (and won the 2024 competition).

Spring 2014

An expanded 1,800-square-foot laboratory for Micro-Nano Device and Systems (MiNDS) on the first floor of Myers Hall has allowed students access to state-of-the-art equipment to complete a variety of micro and nano technology-related projects. Course work has spanned the fields of material science, chemical detection, optics, power generation, and bio-MEMS.

August 2017

���Ĵ�ý's footprint expanded with the acquisition of 1,100 acres of land on the Hulman Farm property just south of campus. The property includes a large residence as well as a historic family lodge, several outbuildings, and acres of farmland and forested terrain.

August 2020

A $10 million gift from alumnus Niles Noblitt and his wife Nancy supported a first-of-its kind college-based merit and leadership Noblitt Scholars program designed to transform the world’s most gifted STEM students into future science and industry leaders. The program, started for the 2021-22 school year, takes to a new level the individual attention and support that has helped make ���Ĵ�ý one of the premier STEM colleges in the nation. Besides receiving scholarships, approximately 55 annual scholars will also have the opportunity to participate in educational travel, mentoring, and leadership development workshops.

August 2021

A new 70,000-square-foot academic building is opened with its state-of-the-art design studios, collaborative workspaces and science laboratories, and flexible classrooms. The central atrium provides a “window into ���Ĵ�ý” with interior and exterior glass that showcases all the work taking place within the building. A large-scale Depth of Field artwork, underwritten by alumnus/trustee Tom Dinkel and his wife, Susie, is a focal point of the atrium. The building later became Indiana’s first building to earn full WELL Certification for design and technology.

March 2022

The Wabash Battalion Army ROTC unit earned the MacArthur Award as the top program in the military branch’s 7th Brigade. Later, the battalion received the prestigious Department of Defense ROTC and Partner Institution Excellence Award in recognition of being the top performing collegiate program among all military branches for the 2021-22 school year.