On Tuesday, the University of West Florida celebrated the grand opening of Building 80, a newly remodeled space that will house the institution’s new civil engineering program and Tyler Chase Norwood Construction Management Program on UWF’s Pensacola campus.
Why this matters: The upgraded building features three new wet and dry labs where construction management and civil engineering students can gain hands-on experiences with construction materials.
“The upgraded facility reflects the University’s commitment to academic innovation and preparing graduates to meet regional and national workforce needs in design, construction and sustainability,” said Dr. Mohamed Khabou, dean of the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering and professor. “Both the civil engineering and the construction management programs will produce highly-qualified graduates to fill high-paying jobs in the local economy.”
Details
The trade demonstration area, also known as the construction yard, will serve multiple purposes to support immersive, project-based learning. It will provide space for the demonstration and application of specialty trades such as masonry, carpentry and welding, offering students practical experience in real-world techniques. Additionally, the yard will function as a construction space for lab activities that reinforce classroom instruction.
The soils lab will complement the Structures II course, which covers soils and foundations. In this lab, students will perform exercises related to soil and concrete mechanics, including Standard and Modified Proctor tests, Atterberg Limits and soil classification, deepening their understanding through direct application.
Dig Deeper
The $1.5 million renovation was made possible in part by a handful of generous major donors. Additionally, thanks to a $250,000 gift to the Tyler Chase Norwood Construction Management Scholarship Endowment — formally approved for naming by the UWF Board of Trustees in March 2023 — construction management students will benefit from expanded scholarship opportunities for years to come. The program is named in memory of Tyler Chase Norwood, a 2015 UWF graduate whose passion for the field and dedication to mentoring students left a lasting impact on the campus community.
- “Our family has always been proud of Tyler and his commitment to helping those around him,” said Kathleen Norwood Shear. “We are thankful to honor his life and legacy through this endowment that will help current and future students in the Tyler C. Norwood Construction Management Program.”
The first classes in Building 80 will be held in the Fall 2025 semester.
For more information about UWF’s Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering, visit uwf.edu/hmcse.
