Miami officials announced the radically altered interiors of the building will be fully ready and operational for students and staff when classes open for the school’s fall semester though some events and classes will be conducted there earlier.
Bachelor Hall is Miami’s hub for the humanities and school officials said the new learning facility “will be a dynamic, interactive and collaborative space,” said school officials.
Renée Baernstein, dean of Miami’s College of Arts and Science, is excited to see the new ways Bachelor Hall will bring people together.
“It’s going to transform how the humanities operate and are experienced by Miami students and faculty,” said Baernstein. “This is a tremendous step forward for the important work that the humanities do today.”
Miami President Gregory Crawford said, “Bachelor Hall reinforces Miami University’s commitment to the humanities and communication arts.”
Credit: Scott Kissell
Credit: Scott Kissell
“This newly renovated space is where deep scholarship meets powerful storytelling, where history, philosophy, and composition intersect with media, journalism, and film, and where scholars connect across disciplines,” said Crawford.
“It advances our mission to equip students with the knowledge, creativity, character, and ethical grounding, as well as the durable soft skills, critical thinking, moral reasoning, and writing abilities needed to lead in an ever-changing and complex global society.”
Tim Melley, director of the Altman Institute for the Humanities to be housed in the new structure, called Bachelor Hall a “powerful symbol” of Miami’s support and is thrilled that the institute will be housed there.
“Situated in the heart of the building, this state-of-the-art facility will bring together thousands of Miamians each year for lectures, seminars, labs, research collaborations, and public-facing projects,” Melley said. “The generous support of the Altman family, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the state of Ohio, and our faithful alumni speaks volumes about the vital importance of the humanities today.”
There will be 20 classrooms and 141 offices, with an expansion in square footage from 112,000 to 120,418.
Bachelor was originally built in 1978, and while there have been updates to the building over the years, this is the first major overhaul in its 45-plus year history.
New features at Bachelor include a modern TV studio; the Bachelor Great Room, a 68-person multifunctional space for events and teaching; a dedicated event space for the Humanities Center; and an atrium, a four-story space that will provide visual and physical connectivity to the core of the building.
Students in the Department of Media, Journalism, and Film will benefit greatly from the updated production facilities, according to Rosemary Pennington, department chair. From a green screen in the TV studio to multiple audio studios for podcasts, live recording of music, and more, students will be able to do “virtually anything they want related to production.”
“Anything they can dream up, we can make happen in the new space,” Pennington said.
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