Prior to Thanksgiving recess, a financial gift was given to assist in the construction of a new building to be shared by the Freeman College of Management and the Department of Art & Art History. The pledge brings the total amount raised for the project to $26 million, reaching more than half of the anticipated cost of $46 million. The building will, in turn, be named after the donor, who has requested to remain anonymous for the time being. Depending on the pending approval from the Board of Trustees, construction could begin as early as June 2019.

“This new facility will significantly enhance what is already an exceptional educational experience for our students,” Dean of the Freeman College of Management Raquel Alexander said. The building will give students access to new technology, as well as common spaces and areas that allow for collaboration and a sense of community among the college, according to Alexander. The new building will also introduce many enhancements to campus, such as a new classroom for Management 101, an improved Moriarty Investment Center for the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), and a lab that will support the Business Analytics major, which the college is planning to introduce next fall. Offices of the Department of Art & Art History will also be housed in the building. Multi-use studios, photography labs, and contemporary teaching spaces will be included as well, and the building will provide for new places to display student and faculty art.

“This new home for the Freeman College of Management and Department of Art & Art History will serve as a physical testament to the University’s interdisciplinary strengths and underscore characteristics that help differentiate the University from its peers,” University President John Bravman said.

Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Karl Voss also expressed excitement. “This facility will help us strengthen and expand our programming within art and art history, improving what is already an exceptional learning experience for our students,” Voss said.

Professor of Management Tammy Hiller, who teaches Management 101, also expressed her excitement. “The new building will house teaching spaces designed to better support experiential management education than our current building allows. I’m especially looking forward to teaching in the new Management 101 space,” Hiller said.

Amy Yowell ’21 believes the outline of the project will reap positive outcomes upon completion. “It will provide incredibly opportunities to students and help to even further establish Bucknell as a premier university,” Yowell said.

The gift itself is also being praised. Hiller stated that she “cannot find the words to express [her] gratitude for the generous gift that will allow construction of the building to begin much sooner than [she] had expected.”

“We are incredibly grateful for this eight-figure commitment, which is an extraordinary show of support for and confidence in the Freeman College of Management and the University’s commitment to interdisciplinary excellence,” Alexander said.