MEADVILLE, Pa. – Allegheny College this week announced the largest single gift in its history, $35 million from the estate of entrepreneur, philanthropist and alumnus Philip L. St. Moritz. It will establish The Phil St. Moritz Center for Innovation at Reis Hall.
The gift will fund the renovation and transformation of Reis Hall into a teaching and learning nexus that benefits students from all academic interests, a news release states. Its celebrated history includes the distinction of being home to a library collection that in its earliest days caught the eye of Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams.
The St. Moritz Center will house the Allegheny Lab for Innovation and Creativity and the Department of Computer and Information Science, while providing technology and teaching spaces that span numerous academic disciplines. It will feature classrooms and collaborative study spaces, varied maker labs and a multipurpose outdoor plaza.
The Allegheny Lab for Innovation and Creativity integrates liberal arts learning, emerging technologies and partnerships with regional organizations and manufacturing companies to support economic and workforce development. The lab empowers students and faculty to design and build prototypes of products, scientific instruments, artistic projects, robots, virtual environments, video games, smart devices and more.
The college’s Computer and Information Science Department offers programs in informatics, robotics, software engineering, ethics and artificial intelligence geared to make a positive impact on the world.
“We are honored and humbled that such an accomplished alumnus, through his legacy, would establish a center to ensure that Allegheny College serves as a leader at the intersection of the liberal arts and emerging technologies, equipping students for careers of the future,” said Ron Cole, president of Allegheny College. “I believe Phil would be proud that we are enlivening Reis Hall, one of the most iconic buildings at the center of Allegheny College’s campus, in his name.”
A lifelong Pittsburgh resident, St. Moritz earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Allegheny College in 1961. After a tour of duty in the United States Air Force, he returned to Pittsburgh to found three industry-leading corporations under the St. Moritz Group – St. Moritz Building Services, St. Moritz Security Services and St. Moritz Labor Services – and later added Bill’s Marine Service in Maryland to his entrepreneurial portfolio. St. Moritz was devoted to giving back and lived a life of service through quiet philanthropy.
“Phil St. Moritz’s unwavering dedication to his employees and customers was only exceeded by his passion for his relationship with Allegheny College,” said Brian Fiscus, CFO of St. Moritz Group. “His investment in the future of Allegheny is typical of the inspirational legacy of this self-made entrepreneur, kind-hearted mentor and natural-born leader.”
Pictured at top: Reis Hall on the campus of Allegheny College. (Photo by Liam Michel)