Chicagoans for Cincy Support UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science

Artist Rendition of Learning Center Coffee-Cafe

Approximately 300 miles from their alma mater, at the W Hotel in downtown Chicago, a group of UC alumni and supporters gathered for breakfast at the Wave restaurant. This group of alumni along with the Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS), Carlo Montemagno, his wife Pam, and Senior Director of Development at CEAS, John Lagow, discussed the Proudly Cincinnati campaign for the college. The alumni in attendance at the breakfast were Denny DeMoss (’77), Bob Fealy (’73), Blake Layda (’99),  Chris Mekus (’72), Spes Mekus (’72), and Bob Schneider (’70).

Artist Rendition of Learning Center Mainstreet Corridor

Dean Montemagno reported that CEAS has helped raise close to $23 million since the launch of Proudly Cincinnati.  Two priorities of CEAS are building a Learning Center and creating an Honors X Engineering Program. The new Learning Center will be located on the eighth floor of Rhodes Hall.  It will include two reconfigurable classrooms, three “project” rooms, space for small group and individual study, space for tutoring and advising, faculty offices, entry lobby, info center, and a coffee bar. The Honors X Engineering Program will have an accelerated curriculum and enhanced co-op experience, allowing high caliber students to graduate in four years, instead of five.

Artist Rendition of Learning Center 8th Floor Plan

Chicagoans for Cincy! leader, Bob Fealy has been instrumental in raising $6.9 million toward the $10 million goal; $1.8 million has been raised specifically for CEAS with a college goal of $2.75 million.  Bob’s generous support and leadership has encouraged other UC grads to join his mission of supporting current and future UC students.

Sharing Bob’s passion to give back to the college is Denny DeMoss, who received a BSNE in Nuclear Engineering, and subsequently an MS degree from the University of Illinois.  While Denny was an undergraduate, he co-oped with Sargent & Lundy, where he is currently Senior Vice President and Project Director.  Denny, along with another Chicago UC alum, Tom Behringer, set up a Sargent & Lundy Scholarship fund for UC Engineering students.

Blake Layda, present at the breakfast and a member of Chicagoans for Cincy!, has generously created an endowment fund with his college roommate, John Wagner.  Blake graduated with a BSCE in Civil Engineering from UC, where he participated in co-op and was a competitive swimmer.  Blake presently is Vice President and National Director of Commercial Real Estate at Jones Lang LaSalle.

Chris and Spes Mekus are co-owners and Managing Principals of Mekus Tanager, Inc., and have been supporters of UC for over 20 years.  Even though they are both graduates of DAAP, Chris with a BArc in Architecture, and Spes with a BSDe in Interior Design, they are on the CEAS Advisory Council and are supporters of CEAS.

Bob Schneider was also in attendance for the breakfast.  Bob graduated from the College of Engineering with a BSME in Mechanical Engineering and then went on to earn a JD in Law.  He and his wife Janice, also a UC graduate, now live in Chicago where Bob is a trial lawyer, partner, and head of the Intellectual Property Department of Chapman and Cutler LLP.

Check out more opportunities to support CEAS and participate in Chicagoans for Cincy!