Fairfield University is always striving to improve by looking for ways to update and modernize their campus. As the Spring 2018 semester begins, a new project is underway. Students driving past the Dimenna-Nyselius Library may have noticed that the library parking lot has been roped off and zoning crews have been brought out to map the land. All of this is in preparation for the University’s new and improved Dolan School of Business, set to be completed in Fall 2019.
According to Mark Ligas, the interim dean of DSB, the business school has been working with the facilities management division in order to pick out the most appropriate spot for this large building to be constructed.
As students and staff know, DSB is considered to be secluded from the rest of campus in its current location, a problem the business school set out to remedy with its new building. “Fairfield is about community…we knew all along we wanted to be closer to the center of campus,” said Ligas.
The DSB’s new location will bring it closer to the middle of campus, essentially creating a quad between the new DSB, the library, the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts and the Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola. With four integral parts of the Fairfield community all within the same vicinity, the staff at DSB has high hopes for their new location.
Location is not the only thing that’s new for the DSB, however. According to Ligas, the new building will be more spacious and allow for specific areas to be put in, such as a finance lab and business analytics lab, all with cutting edge technology. Business management major Lars Erickson ‘20 noted, “I feel like these new technologies will set us up as students to be the best future employees possible.”
Professors of the business school are excited for the new building for a variety of reasons as well. “I personally look forward to more classrooms and places within the school to hold group conferences and meetings … business in America and the world in general gets accomplished through team efforts,” commented Professor John Neal, assistant professor of marketing.
Also featured in the new building will be an entrepreneurship center named the “Ideation Lab,” which will give students access to new technologies to bring their ideas to life such as 3D printers. “These classrooms will make the students feel comfortable working with these technologies which will make them more confident going into interviews and future careers,” commented Mikayla Goria ‘20, an undeclared business major.
It is not just business students who are excited for the new school though, August Feliciano ’21 said, “I’m an engineering major, but I bet the new building will be a great place to study and practice presentations.”
Although some of us may graduate before the new building goes into use in the Fall of 2019, Ligas commented that alumni pride is an integral part of Fairfield’s community. Students seemed to agree, as several stated that they would revisit campus after graduating to see the new building. “I’m excited to come back to Fairfield post-graduation and see the new and improved business school,” said Elizabeth Bouregy ’19.
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