Computer Science Department Receives Major Gift

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The majestic Fairfield Business Park has been donated for major expansion of the Computer Professionals master’s degree program at MIU. The building has been renamed as the Fairfield IT and Business Park.

Grand Building Donated for ComPro Expansion

 

Major MIU supporters Ye Shi (“Linlin”) and Alan Marks

 

On December 26, 2021, MIU supporters Ye Shi (“Linlin”) and Alan Marks donated to MIU one of the largest buildings of its architectural style in the world–a style favored by royalty in ancient India, known as Maharishi Sthapatya Veda design.

Located three miles north of our campus in Fairfield, Iowa, this majestic 87,000 square foot (8,100 square meter) building sits on 1.1 million square feet (100,000 square meters) of land. The University has recently renamed this landmark facility the Fairfield IT and Business Park. Soon the building will provide additional valuable residential facilities for our ever-expanding Computer Science Master’s program.

Alan and Linlin are the owners of Midwest Development and Investment Corporation. From 2010 to 2020, Alan also served as CEO at Maharishi AyurVeda Products International (MAPI), which occupied this building.

During his years with MAPI, Alan consistently grew the company–employing many people in Fairfield, thereby contributing to our local and international community.

Linlin is a Certified Management Accountant, recipient of numerous national management and accounting awards, and is a highly regarded professor in the MIU Accounting Department.

Remodeling has begun

We are now quickly remodeling the north wing of this beautiful building, converting office spaces into handsome bedrooms and bathrooms as well as a café, lounge, and common areas.

 

Newly remodeled residence room in the Fairfield IT and Business Park

 

The first residents of the building will be Computer Science graduate students (ComPro) who have finished their on-campus classes, and are now active in the practicum internship placement phase of the program at major companies around the U.S. The new residential floors in the north wing are expected to be ready in March 2022 for the first group of ComPro students in this phase of the program.

 

New bathrooms are being constructed for the upcoming ComPro student residence hall.

 

Several major Fairfield companies currently renting offices in the southern half of the building will continue renting space there.

Also, this major donation includes the 24.76 acres (10 hectares) of pristine grassland that the building sits on, providing opportunities for additional campus expansion in the future.

 

In gratitude to Linlin and Alan, an engraved brass plaque has been mounted in the spacious lobby of the grand east entrance.

 

Read more about this building donation and other recent achievements in our beautiful 2021 MIU Annual Report.