University of Portland Breaks Ground on New Academic Building

Groundbreaking on the University of Portland’s new academic building, Dundon-Berchtold Hall, took place in September. Board of Regents member Amy Dundon-Berchtold and Jim Berchtold ’63, were joined in turning the ceremonial first shovel by University President Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C.; Provost Thomas Greene; University Board of Regents Chair Thomas Arndorfer; and ASUP President Brandon Rivera.

University of Portland

The Dundon-Berchtolds made the $15 million lead gift commitment for construction of the hall on the university's Portland, OR, campus. This gift also funded the Dundon-Berchtold Institute for Moral Formation and Applied Ethics, which will be housed in the new building. Along with providing a home for the Institute, the new academic center will also add over 63,000 square feet of classrooms, offices and the recently announced Brian Doyle Lecture Hall.

In his remarks, Fr. Poorman called the groundbreaking a “hope-filled occasion.” He went on to say, “Dundon-Berchtold Hall is a critical step in the university’s commitment to providing the best possible education for our students. One that’s holistic and intellectually rigorous, and character focused, and grounded in faith.”

While thanking the many donors who have contributed to construction of the Hall, Fr. Poorman extended special gratitude to the Dundon-Berchtolds for moving the university “from a conversation phase to a happening phase.” And he noted that the university was proud to name the building in honor of them and their generous commitment.

Dundon-Berchtold Hall will provide much needed academic space for the campus. As the student population at the university has grown 30 percent over the past decade, classroom space has remained the same. Many of the classrooms in the hall 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.

Dundon-Berchtold Hall is set for completion in January 2019.

Featured

  • Inglewood Unified School District Breaks Ground on New High School

    The Inglewood Unified School District in Inglewood, Calif., recently broke ground on a new campus for Inglewood High School, according to a news release. The project has a budget of about $240 million, funding coming through bond proceeds from Measure I.

  • i-PRO, NovoTrax Partner for New School Emergency Response Solution

    i-PRO Americas, Inc., which manufactures edge computing cameras, recently announced a partnership with NovoTrax, provider of end-to-end life safety and mass notification solutions, to address gaps in emergency response workflows at K–12 schools, according to a news release.

  • University of Kentucky Integrates New Cleaning Technology

    The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently installed a new cleaning system designed to improve cooling efficiency on campus, according to a news release. The Facilities Management’s Utilities and Energy Management Unit installed new chiller tubes into two of the chillers at the university’s Central Utility Plant.

  • Kimball International Launches New Furniture for K–12 Classrooms

    Commercial furnishings company Kimball International recently announced the launch of four new products designed for a variety of professional environments, including K–12 schools, according to a news release.

Digital Edition