Maryland Governor Wes Moore joined SU President Carolyn Ringer Lepre and others from SU and the State of Maryland to officially break ground on a $60 million project that will bring a student service center to campus.
SU’s Blackwell Hall, which served as the campus library from 1957-2016, is being renovated into a central facility for student services. The project began last summer, with visible demolition of portions of the building taking place earlier this semester.
“When the history of the moment is written, the thing I will say to all the students is your fingerprints are going to be all over it,” said Moore. “We’re here because of you and because of your inspiration. We’re here because you all deserve a place that will not just give you an opportunity to overcome all the obstacles that the world might throw at you, but you deserve a place that will let you know that you’re prepared to take them on. That you deserve a place that is not just going to focus on financial aid, career services and health care and making sure that all these things are accessible to all our students, but you deserve a place that honors your mind, your body and your soul. A place that’s truly willing to uplift every element of the human experience that this remarkable institution is working to foster.”
“This is a building that will serve all students from the moment they step on campus that first time to the day they walk across that graduation stage and all those steps in between, making a significant difference in their college journeys,” said Lepre.
As part of the project, geothermal fields are being installed beneath Holloway Hall Lawn. Upon its completion, Blackwell Hall is expected to be one of the first net-zero buildings in the University System of Maryland (USM), operating with a zero net carbon footprint and representing a significant leap forward in SU’s commitment to sustainability.
Pictured at top: Governor Moore (center) helps President Carolyn Ringer Lepre and other senior staff break ground on SU’s student service center renovation.
