Oakland University dedicates William and Mary Schwark SAE Design Lab

Oakland University dedicated its SAE Design Lab as the William and Mary Schwark SAE Design Lab on Friday, Sept. 25, recognizing a $100,000 endowment from the longtime university benefactors.

The gift will provide ongoing support for the lab and help Grizzlies Racing, an OU student organization, purchase equipment, materials and supplies needed to design, build, test and compete with high-performance vehicles. As an endowed gift, it will provide lasting support for students who use the lab.

The endowment adds to the Schwarks’ history of support for Oakland University. Their gifts include the William and Mary Schwark Exemplary Students in Engineering and Education Endowed Scholarship for future engineers and teachers; a dance scholarship honoring their granddaughter, an OU alumna; support for the campus gardens; and restoration of the Tea Terrace at Meadow Brook Hall.

Earlier this year, Oakland University recognized the Schwarks with the Community Engagement Award, which honors alumni for distinctive community, public or university service activities.

“This continuous commitment is a meaningful extension of the legacy of Matilda Dodge Wilson,” said Michael Westfall, OU’s vice president for University Advancement.

The dedication brings together two areas of the Schwarks’ longstanding support for OU: student education and campus facilities. The William and Mary Schwark SAE Design Lab joins the Tea Terrace at Meadow Brook Hall in bearing their names, recognizing their contributions to the university’s academic programs and historic spaces.