A plaque remembering Dillard Jacobs will be placed outside the new auditorium, named for the beloved professor who died in 1988. Jacobs, an engineering professor and 1932 Vanderbilt graduate, was a "Mr. Chips" type mentor to countless students over the decades. Among his many contributions, he established one of the largest single scholarship funds at Vanderbilt, the Paul Harrawood Honors Undergraduate Scholarships in Engineering. Following are the words on the plaque.

Professor Dillard Jacobs was at the top. He was respected for his dedication to the profession by even the most irreverent among us. He did not stand in judgment of others, perhaps because his work brought him such joy.
I was close to the bottom -- in maturity, direction, and performance. I had not yet fully grasped the connection between cause and effect. Respect from others seemed out of reach.
In my third year, after a rare moment of achievement, Mr. Jacobs smiled and said, "You just might be an engineer." Those were the most important words I heard during my years at Vanderbilt.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobs. Your words were a gift. --An Engineer, '64

The new building will be located between the two existing wings.

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