A Brief History…
D. W. May, José de Diego, and Carmelo Alomar took the initial steps toward establishing a university in the West, then known as the College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts. Thus, the College of Mayagüez officially opened its doors in September 1911. Later, in November 1911, F. L. Stevens was appointed as the first dean, and the following year, construction of the first building (Degetau) began, with classes starting in September 1912.
Initially, the University was a professional training school focused on Agriculture. By 1915, enrollment had reached 280 students (63 of whom were women). That same year, the first graduation took place, awarding 15 bachelor’s degrees, all in Agriculture.
In 1918, the first bachelor’s degrees in Engineering were conferred: 3 in Civil Engineering, 2 in Mechanical Engineering, and 1 in Sugar Engineering. By this time, the disciplines of Engineering, including electrical and mechanical fields, had made significant progress.
The Faculty of Engineering (Civil, Chemical, General, Electrical, and Mechanical) shared the Monzón building (constructed in 1938) with the Department of Chemistry. This continued until 1948, when the Engineering “shop” was built. By 1943, Professor Luis Stefani became the second Vice Chancellor and Dean of Engineering, a position he held until 1965. In recognition of his achievements, the current Engineering building, constructed in 1960, bears his name.
Over time, the departments that make up the School of Engineering were established. The Department of Electrical Engineering was created in 1928, Industrial Engineering in 1953, and Computer Engineering in 1980.
Today, the century-old Faculty of Engineering has an enrollment of 4,449 students. In its century-long history, it has produced thousands of distinguished professionals in all areas of Engineering and has received countless recognitions both on the Island and internationally.
The College of Engineering at RUM continues to be a cornerstone in the education of world-class engineers, committed to innovation, development, and excellence, leaving a lasting impact in Puerto Rico and beyond our borders.
