Gift from NC State engineering alumnus benefits faculty, students

A North Carolina State University engineering alumnus and his wife have made a gift to benefit faculty and students in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering (CCEE).

The gift establishes the Peter and Eileen Lehrer CCEE Enhancement Fund, which will provide funds for faculty development and undergraduate student enhancement, such as travel to academic conferences.

“We greatly appreciate this gift from Peter and Eileen Lehrer to civil, construction, and environmental engineering at NC State,” said Dr. Louis A. Martin-Vega, dean of the College of Engineering. “Their support will help our faculty and students make important advances toward solving the grand challenges facing engineering and our society in the 21st century.”

Peter Lehrer graduated from NC State in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. In 1979 he co-founded Lehrer McGovern, which grew to be among the largest firms in the American construction industry by managing major projects such as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island restorations. Since 1996, he has been head of Lehrer LLC, which provides construction consulting services for major development projects including Columbia University’s Manhattanville campus.

Lehrer also sits on the board of directors of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, which oversees the design, fundraising, programming and operations of the memorial and museum being built at the World Trade Center site.

“I have strong feelings about my alma mater. It really provided the launch pad for my career,” Lehrer said. “I very much believe in giving back and this is part of that process.”