As De La Salle Collegiate prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, the Pilots are boldly stepping into the future with the grand opening of the Steve and Kathy McShane STEM Innovation Center — a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to advancing science, technology, engineering, and math education.

On Thursday, Oct. 9, faculty, staff, alumni, students, and friends gathered to mark the transformation of the school’s former library into an innovative academic hub designed to nurture curiosity, inspire creativity, and prepare students for the rapidly evolving world of STEM.

“As De La Salle prepares to celebrate 100 years of educating young men rooted in faith, service, and excellence, this center symbolizes our commitment to the next century,” said Greg Esler, Advancement Director at De La Salle. “It represents the next step in our mission to form Builders of Boys, Makers of Men.”

 

A Place of Possibility
For Ben Aloia, Class of 1991 and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the new center is more than a facility — it’s a promise to future generations.

“The new center is a place of possibility,” Aloia said. “In today’s rapidly evolving world, a STEM education is the backbone of innovation and future career opportunities. STEM careers are growing six times faster than other occupations. Access to a quality STEM education is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity. The STEM center will be a place to propel our students into future leaders who will live with morality, integrity, and spirituality.”

 

 

Honoring the Vision of Steve and Kathy McShane
The STEM Innovation Center bears the names of Steve and Kathy McShane, whose generosity and commitment made the project possible. A 1961 graduate of De La Salle, Steve McShane was the first in his family to attend college, earning a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Detroit and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

An inventor and entrepreneur with hundreds of patents, McShane founded Midtronics in 1985 — a company built on innovation and persistence. Reflecting on his journey and his time as a student, McShane marveled at how far technology and education have come.

 

“Our high-tech club in the 1950s was ham radio. We connected using Morse code through the static of short-wave radio,” McShane said with a smile. “Biology lab back then meant dissecting frogs. Memorable? Yes. High tech? Not exactly. Today’s students will study biomedical subjects using our Anatomage table — an immersive, virtual 3D human cadaver with no frogs harmed in the process. Today’s students, incredibly, are launching rockets, flying drones, building robots, and will soon be experimenting with AI in ways that our slide rules could not even dream of. This isn’t just progress — it is transformation.”

 

Preparing Students to Lead with Integrity
McShane spoke about the perseverance and creativity that fueled his own success and how those same qualities will define the next generation of innovators who walk De La Salle’s halls.

 

“The lessons I learned from my journey are simple: innovation is a goal, curiosity is a spark, and persistence is a fuel,” he said. “The STEM center isn’t just about labs and 3D printers — it’s about dedicated teachers and a world-class curriculum that prepares young men for a world where change is constant and accelerating.”

Touching on the growing influence of artificial intelligence, McShane emphasized the importance of using technology with wisdom and purpose.

 

“For today’s students, AI won’t just be a tool; it will be a collaborator,” he explained. “But the real advantage won’t come from having smart machines — it will come from using them responsibly, ethically, and creatively.”

 

Quoting Microsoft founder Bill Gates, McShane noted that while automation will continue to shape the workforce, fields requiring creativity, ethical judgment, and problem-solving — such as biology, programming, and energy innovation — will endure.
“Machines can model data, but they can’t replicate human wisdom,” McShane said. “That’s why the STEM center matters. We are preparing students not just to keep pace with technology that is now moving at lightning speed, but to lead it with human insight and Christian values.”

 

 

 

Building the Future, Honoring the Past
The celebration of the McShane STEM Innovation Center’s opening was both a look ahead and a reflection on the school’s enduring mission. With new technologies such as flight simulators, robotics equipment, and advanced digital learning tools, students will have the opportunity to explore, create, and innovate like never before.

“Our students will ask the questions that AI can’t answer,” McShane concluded. “That’s what the STEM center represents. It is more than brick and mortar — it is a launch pad. A place to experiment, collaborate, fail, learn, and try again. The opening of the STEM center marks the beginning of De La Salle’s second century. The centennial is about honoring De La Salle’s past; the STEM center is about assuring its future.”