Creating the Most Advanced Learning Environment

Providing a superb research and teaching environment is a key measure of greatness for a business school. The Smith School’s home, Van Munching Hall, is one of the most advanced facilities in the world for management education and research. Van Munching, dedicated in 1995 and expanded in 2002, boasts wireless internet access throughout, data jacks at each classroom seat, and video and audio conferencing capabilities in every classroom. What Van Munching Hall needs, however, is more space to meet the growth demands created by Smith’s program excellence.

Spotlight
Construction & Renovation

The Smith School’s technologically advanced home in Van Munching Hall has helped the school differentiate itself as much as its innovative curriculum and phenomenal faculty. But space is continually an issue, as the school adds additional faculty and graduate students, and additional executive- and graduate-level programs.

In 1992 Leo Van Munching, Jr. '50, a Smith School alumnus and president of the company holding the exclusive franchise to import and distribute Heineken and Amstel Light beer donated $5 million toward the construction of the college's new home, Van Munching Hall (VMH). The move from Tydings Hall to the state-of-the-art VMH took place in 1993. In 1999, Van Munching donated $6 million in additional funding to help finance the expansion and renovation of the building. The $38-million expansion of VMH opened for classes in fall 2002. The four-story, 103,300-square-foot space is an attractive, functional, technologically advanced learning environment. The building was specially designed to meet the requirements of Smith’s undergraduate and graduate programs, delivering the academic, professional, and social experiences necessary to help prepare our students to lead 21st century organizations.

With the final stages of $20-million North Wing addition now under way, the school will have the additional space of approximately 38,000 square feet for undergraduate classes; more and better quality space for faculty and doctoral students; and increased and more flexible space for Executive MBA and custom executive education programs.

The North Wing expansion is predominantly funded by private donations, and in recognition of donors’ generosity, rooms in the North Wing will be named for donors. Naming opportunities still exist, including five classrooms, an executive meeting room, and a conference room.