Engineering students are helping to design the future on Friday.
Now, their university is poised to grow again. That's as the WIU Riverfront Campus is ready to create the third phase of its Moline location.
"More students to come here and experience more opportunities," said WIU graduate student Erin Pilarski.
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn brought $5 million on Friday to design a new building. It's a start for the $34.6 million project.
"We've got a general idea of what we want," said Campus Architect Bill Brewer. "Now, we can actually get down to business and design the spaces and the building."
The third phase will include an 85,000 square foot building. Planned between the first and second projects, it will feature classrooms, labs and space for students and staffers.
Right now, about 1,500 students take classes at the Riverfront Campus. This growth could eventually more than double the current student population.
"It's attracted a lot more people to the area," said WIU graduate student Jake Walker. "More people to the area means more growth, so it's a good thing all around."
The design will help to make this campus more of a community. It will enhance education for decades to come along the riverfront.
This project still needs more than $34 million to build. Design work will take about a year. If funding is available, construction will likely last another 18 months after that.
"I always love hearing people invest in building for a better future," Pilarski said. "Especially for students, that's a great thing to do."
For Engineering students and others, it's another chance to see their campus grow in the Quad Cities.