FROM THE NEST | SPRING 2026 | 17 For nearly a century, Packard Laboratory has stood as the heart of Lehigh Engineering. A $10 million gift from David Jackson ’67, Patricia Jackson, Suzanne Jackson and the Suzanne and David Jackson Foundation will transform that iconic landmark into the destination for innovative, interdisciplinary engineering education. Their gift establishes the Jackson Laboratory, the new home for FirstYear Rossin Engineering (FYRE). FYRE is Lehigh’s ambitious curriculum that reimagines the first-year experience for engineering students. Moving away from a purely theoretical start, FYRE immerses students in hands-on research and building on day one. “As president and as an engineering alumnus, I am excited and deeply grateful to work alongside Dave, his wife Pat, Suzanne and their foundation to establish a home for FYRE in Packard,” said Joseph J. Helble ’82. “The Jackson Laboratory will solidify Lehigh as a leader in cultivating thinkers and doers, engineers who are best prepared with the skills and mindsets to succeed.” The Power of Building The Jackson Laboratory will encourage teams of FYRE students to huddle over dismantled engines or test water filtration prototypes in an open studio environment. This highly visible space will complement an environment equipped with the technologies students need to engage in solving real-world problems. The laboratory space will also support faculty mentoring and group work, encouraging students to hone their leadership and communication skills. “FYRE is a complete revamping of what we’ve traditionally done in engineering education both at Lehigh and as a discipline,” said Steve DeWeerth, the Lew and Sherry Hay Dean of Engineering. “The Jackson Laboratory will not only provide a physical space for FYRE students to do engineering, it will also be the place where the wider Lehigh community sees the power of Lehigh Engineering in action.” The Jacksons see FYRE as a way for students to complement digital fluency with their innate creativity. “It’s one thing to learn a calculus theorem, memorize it, and regurgitate it for a quiz,” Dave Jackson said. “It’s something else altogether to make something or fix something that’s broken.” Jackson said his own education provided the mindset to take risks and build a successful career. Lehigh “helped me grow quite a bit, and I credit that to its focus on a rigorous, applied education,” he said.—Kyle Brett MA’15 Ph.D.’21 BOOKSHELF Lehigh Alumni Book Club Summer Read Since 2019, the Lehigh Alumni Book Club has grown into a vibrant community of 800+ alumni, faculty, staff and friends. Designed for busy lives, the program rotates books every three months at a relaxed pace and spans diverse genres. Featuring world-renowned authors, including Pulitzer Prize winners and global bestsellers, every selection is stimulating and accessible, and members vote on selections. Engagement is flexible. Each week, a moderator posts discussion questions in a private forum for members to consider. Each cycle culminates in an exclusive livestream with the author to discuss their inspiration and insights. There are neither fees nor mandatory meetings, offering a low-commitment way to learn, connect and bring South Mountain to your life. The early summer (May–July) selection is below. Custodians of Wonder by Eliot Stein Travel the globe through the pages of this nonfiction read by Eliot Stein, journalist and editor at BBC, as he meets people who are keeping alive some of the world’s oldest customs and cultural traditions. SCAN TO JOIN THE LEHIGH ALUMNI BOOK CLUB PHILANTHROPY | ALUMNI ’67 Fuel for FYRE: The New Jackson Laboratory A transformative $10 million gift brings the future of engineering education to Packard Laboratory.
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