DSU Celebrates new Ag & ECIC Buildings
Delaware State University hosted state legislators, community supporters, and media to celebrate the soon completion of its two newest edifices on campus – the new Agriculture Building and the Early Childhood Innovation Center.
For images from the celebration, click on the below link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/48216028@N03/albums/72177720324726124
DSU President Tony Allen presided over the celebration, which began at the construction site of the new Agriculture Building and was followed by a tour of the almost completed Early Childhood Innovation Center. 
Dr. Cherese Winstead, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Sciences, and Technology, said the new Agriculture Building will demonstrate what emerging technologies look like in advancing agriculture.
“When students walk in, they are going to see agriculture the minute they walk through the door,” Dr. Winstead said. “It will be remote-sensed; it will have monitoring and tracking of the irrigation on the wall. There will be robotics and drones; they will see how we increase the productivity of agriculture as we move forward.”
Amber Fitch, an 1890 scholar and a junior Agriculture/Pre-veterinarian Science major, said she is excited about the new Agriculture Building.
“I can be here at this building and sit here with my peers, and with their support, they can help me grow, and I can help them grow,” Ms. Fitch said. “Agriculture makes the world go round, and we can do nothing without it.”
Delaware Speaker of the House Melissa Minor-Brown said the two new buildings perfectly reflect DSU’s commitment to serving the people of Delaware.
“At a time when we are actively combating food insecurity, when working families are struggling to find high-quality childcare, DSU is looking to the future, producing the next generation of innovative food scientists and educators,” the Speaker of the House said.
State Sen. Trey Paradee noted that DSU’s high standing in the state increased with its acquisition of Wesley College and even more so with the two new buildings. “The University is an important part of the City of Dover, Kent County and the State of Delaware communities.” Sen. Paradee said. “It is truly a driver of our economy.”
A major partner in the new Agriculture Building in Agilent Technology. Sally Frank, Agilent Manager of Philanthropic Programs, Global Communications and Public Affairs, said the edifice will contain millions of dollars in Agilent instrumentation.
“It will be the first time in DSU history that their lab capacity will be the best in class in the State of Delaware,” said Ms. Frank. ”This building, its contents, and its capacity to create the world’s best scientists, is a game changer, both literally and figuratively.”
While the new Agriculture Building construction is halfway complete, the Early Childhood Innovation Center (ECIC) is almost finished and is slated to be occupied sometime this Spring.
The ECIC will be the new home of the University’s Early Childhood Laboratory School and its work to raise the skills and knowledge of Early Childhood Care Providers in the State of Delaware through its Child Development Associate certification program.