ETSU announced a multimillion dollar partnership with California’s product design group Parametric Technology Corp. to produce the ETSU Scott M. Niswonger Digital Media Center.
Niswonger contributed a $1.5 million commitment to the Campaign for ETSU Tomorrow.
“His vision also establishes two endowments,” Stanton said. “The Scott M.Niswonger Technology Endowment furnished the DMC, and the earnings will be used (in perpetuity) to fund equipment as needed. The Scott M. Niswonger Technology Scholarship for Students from Greene County will assist Greene County students in the field of applied science and technology.”
The afternoon ceremony honored Niswonger for his generosity in donating to the facility.
The program included many well-known speakers from the area including Mayor Vance Cheek and Nashville’s Community Development Commissioner Alex Fischer as well as Stanton, Dr. Carroll Hyder, interim dean of the College of Applied Science and Technology expressed excitement.
“This company is to product design and engineering what another what Alias/Wavefront is to computer animation and visualization,” Hyder said. “The $19.8 million worth of design software from Parametric will equip 60 computer stations in the Niswonger DMC.”
Parametric plans to set up 500 stations to ETSU, totaling the product design and engineering software amount at $165 million. The facility, located in the Adelphia Centre at Millennium Park, has a 300-person waiting list of people waiting to enter ETSU’s digital media program.
Niswonger attended Tusculum College as well as Purdue’s School of Aviation Technology and Airline Management. He is also a certified Airline Transport Pilot. He is active in the community and his church, as well as serves on numerous committees in the area. He also is an Honorary Alumnus in 1998 by the ETSU National Alumni Association.
ETSU’s program began in 1993 with less than 50 majors. Now that the facility offers more of a animation and visualization focus, the major numbers have grown to over 350.
For more information, call the department of technology at 439-4234.

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