In a move that will propel Farmingdale State College (FSC) into the digital future and address growing technology and workforce needs for the region and beyond, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul recently joined FSC President Robert S. Prezant, PhD, to officially break ground for the College’s new Computer Sciences Center.
Gathered beside FSC’s Great Mall, between Sinclair Hall and a row of stately oak trees, the morning event’s nearly 100 attendees included FSC administration, faculty, staff, and students, as well as FSC President Emeritus John S. Nader, PhD, government partners, and representatives from the Empire State Development Board, the State University of New York (SUNY), organized labor, and Urbahn Architects.
“In New York, we are shaping our students to be the next generation of leaders,” Governor Hochul said. “Our SUNYs and CUNYs (City University of New York) provide an exceptional and well-rounded education for New Yorkers to explore science and technology research—the groundbreaking of the Computer Sciences Center at Farmingdale will uncover technological advancements and advance economic opportunities in our state; that’s how we build a better New York.”
The $75 million project, funded through $30 million from the Empire State Development’s Long Island Investment Fund (LIIF) and $45 million from the SUNY Construction Fund, “will attract students, with the potential to double program enrollment over the next several years and thus impact workforce and economic development in our region,” said President Prezant.
“This is a very proud day in Farmingdale State College history,” he said. “So much more than a building, the center will provide a hub of advanced technology education and programming, enabling interdisciplinary and collaborative innovation, research, and learning. It will also allow us to support increasing enrollment in our technology programs, with a focus on workforce development.”
“Long Island’s future depends on the ability to attract and retain the next generation of workers, homeowners, and community leaders, and I’m proud to have secured significant funding for this project, which continues our commitment to Farmingdale State College as an economic and educational engine for our entire Long Island region for generations to come,” said New York State Assemblyman Steve Stern.
The beautifully designed three-story structure, the first zero net carbon ready building on FSC’s campus as well as the first in the SUNY system, will house the College’s incipient Division of Computing, which has experienced a 40% increase in enrollment over the past five years, demonstrating the demand for resources and facilities to integrate several closely related programs including Computer Programming and Information Systems, Computer Security Technology, and Artificial Intelligence Management, as well as the College’s graduate program in Technology Management.
“The Computer Sciences Center is a visionary investment in technology education on Long Island,” said Kenneth Lee, PhD, PE, dean of the Pasternack School of Engineering Technology. “It will empower our faculty and students to explore cutting-edge fields like AI and cybersecurity in a space designed for interdisciplinary collaboration and hands-on problem-solving.”
“At the end of the day, it’s about our students and providing them with state-of-the-art facilities, the most talented faculty, and the best opportunities to succeed, here and in their professional and personal lives,” agreed President Prezant.
“This extraordinary project is part of our larger efforts to reimagine and continue innovating the Long Island economy,” said Governor Hochul. “And with this project and more students discovering Long Island they are going to stay here; they are going to build their families here and continue to enrich our local communities overall.”
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