Stillman College to Break Ground on First Research Facility

As Stillman College celebrates 150 years of history and excellence in Tuscaloosa, the institution is preparing to make history again, this time by investing in its future.

Stillman College has announced plans to break ground on its first building dedicated entirely to research, marking a significant milestone for the historically Black institution.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Stillman Chronic Disease Research and Training Shared Facility will take place Friday, November 13, 2026, at 3 p.m.

The ceremony will be held on the lawn behind the Josephine C. Johnson/J.W. Robinson Building on Stillman's campus.

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And this isn't just another construction project.

The new facility will provide students and faculty with dedicated space to conduct research directly on campus while expanding the college's ability to study chronic diseases and provide research training.

Leading the project is Dr. Eric Buckles, Stillman's Provost and Chief Academic Officer, who serves as Principal Investigator.

Buckles holds a doctorate in Biomedical Sciences from Meharry Medical College and brings more than 20 years of biomedical research experience.

His background includes serving as Co-Principal Investigator on a $6.7 million research center project funded by the National Institutes of Health.

The groundbreaking also carries special significance because it takes place during Stillman's Sesquicentennial Founder's Week, celebrating 150 years since the college's founding in 1876.

Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell is expected to join college leadership for the ceremony.

Students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the Tuscaloosa community are invited to attend.

For Stillman, the project represents another step toward expanding educational opportunities and building a foundation for future scientific discovery.