Valparaiso University: Duesenberg Welcome Center

Valparaiso University: Duesenberg Welcome Center

PHOTOS © DANA LEEK/MIRAGE STUDIO, LLC

The first college or university visit is critically important for students and families. This is guiding many institutions to create campus centers reflecting the identity that makes each unique. The goal for Indiana’s Valparaiso University was to create a new campus gateway and welcoming experience for prospective students, their families, alumni and guests.

The Valparaiso University Duesenberg Welcome Center designed by Shive-Hattery is located on a prominent meadow at the main campus entrance graced with panoramic views.

A gently sloping roof forms a connection with the surrounding campus Prairie Style architecture and frames a glimpse of the iconic Chapel of the Resurrection, which represents Valparaiso University’s foundation as a faith-based institution. The lobby is a transparent welcoming beacon of activity day and night, and is a first stop in this light-filled facility.

The 14,800-square-foot Welcome Center is home to the Office of Admission, as well as meeting and presentation spaces. Warm finishes provide settings for diverse activities from contemplation, to meetings and social gatherings, while providing a gallery backdrop for telling the story of the university.

Exhibits are displayed in the lobby and along the main street of the building, and include an interactive campus map, and a 60-foot-long timeline highlighting over 125 years of university history, including artifacts representing significant moments. When they return to campus, it has become the first stop for alumni who appreciate the Welcome Center as a place to reconnect with their alma mater.

A highlight of the facility is a 16-foottall by 31-foot-long lobby mosaic named “Lightfall,” inspired by the Valparaiso University motto “In luce tua, videmus lucem” (In your light, we see light).

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Greenheck Receives Sourcewell Cooperative Contract

    Air movement, control, conditioning, and distribution equipment solutions provider Greenheck recently announced that it has been awarded a Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract, according to a news release. The HVAC Systems contract will allow Greenheck the opportunity to expand opportunities in government procurement and other public agencies in North America.

  • Minnesota District Completes Major Renovations, Expansions to High School

    White Bear Lake Area Schools in White Bear Lake, Minn., recently announced that it has completed the renovation and expansion of White Bear Lake Area High School, according to a news release. The school’s final addition, a new 845-seat Performing Arts Center, was finished in November.

  • All Surfaces Hires New Commercial Business Development Specification Manager

    Flooring solutions provider All Surfaces recently announced that it has hired industry veteran Mechelle Bliss as its new Commercial Business Development Specification Manager, according to a news release. In her new role, she’ll be responsible for expanding the organization’s hold in various commercial markets, as well as strengthening relationships with existing clients.

  • UTEP Celebrates Construction Milestone for New Academic Building

    The University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, Texas, recently held a “topping out” ceremony for its new learning complex, Texas Western Hall, according to university news. The construction milestone marks the placement of the last beam of a structure in progress.