At the University of Portland’s annual State of UP luncheon, University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman C.S.C., unveiled plans for Dundon-Berchtold Hall, a new academic center with over 63,000 square feet of classrooms, offices, an auditorium, a career center, and the Dundon-Berchtold Institute.
A $15 million commitment from regent Amy Dundon-Berchtold and her husband, Jim Berchtold ’63 (pictured) served as the lead gift towards construction of the new center. The gift also funded the Dundon-Berchtold Institute for Moral Formation and Applied Ethics, which will be housed in the new building.
Dundon-Berchtold Hall will provide much-needed academic space for the campus. As the student population at the University has grown 30% over the past decade, classroom space has remained the same. Many of the classrooms in the building will be designed for interactive learning, with spaces that are equipped with moveable furniture and updated technology. Other “cluster” classrooms will be used for small groups of students to work cooperatively and collaboratively together on projects and assignments, a core requirement of many University courses across all disciplines.
The Dundon-Berchtold project continues a wave of capital construction and improvements at the University. Since 2009, the University has constructed or renovated 11 new buildings or structures on the 150-acre campus. Most recent construction includes the Beauchamp Recreation & Wellness Center (August 2015) and Lund Family Hall (August 2016), as well as the complete renovation of the Pilot House (October 2015), which houses the University’s bookstore, dining facility, kitchen, and lounge.
The University plans to begin demolition of Howard Hall, a former recreation center, in the late spring, with construction of the new building on that site starting in late summer.
For more information contact the president’s office at x7101 or simek@up.edu.