Bridge model installation celebrates student impact, cross-border collaboration
University of Windsor President Robert Gordon, engineering student Mariah Saad, Faculty of Engineering Dean Bill Van Heyst, and WDBA Chief Capital Officer Grant Hilbers unveil a scale model of the Gordie Howe International Bridge on July 17 at the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation. The installation symbolizes a long-standing partnership focused on student opportunity and regional impact; Saad is among the more than 220 UWindsor students who have completed co-op placements with WDBA. (MIKE WILKINS/University of Windsor)
By Lindsay Charlton
A partnership built on student innovation and community impact was celebrated Thursday as the University of Windsor and the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) unveiled a scale model of the Gordie Howe International Bridge at the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation.
The installation marks nearly a decade of collaboration between the University and WDBA, which has supported over 220 student placements since 2016 across various disciplines, including civil engineering, communications, and environmental science. More than 50 alumni now work in key roles on one of North America’s most significant infrastructure projects.