Bryant University Expands Campus with Property Donation

Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I., recently announced plans to expand its campus after a real estate donation from nearby Fidelity Investments, according to a news release. The 250,000-square-foot space at 100 Salem Street will play home to the school’s College of Business, Graduate Programs office, Executive Education and Career Accelerator, and the Women’s Leadership Institute in conjunction with the university’s Vision 2030 initiative.

The building is the largest real estate gift in university history since 1967, the news release reports. In addition to the above programs, it will also provide space for extracurricular activities and student gatherings, both formal and informal.

The university will renovate the space to feature classrooms, lab space, entrepreneurial innovation space, faculty and administrative space, and meeting and gathering spaces. The building’s design is intended to foster student engagement in design thinking, financial technology, professional sales, AI, and data analytics. It will also allow for the founding of the “Innovative and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem” initiative, which will help business students in bringing projects from the initial idea to securing capital funding. The new program will help collaboration between university students and faculty and various industries throughout the state.

According to the news release, Bryant University’s Vision 2030 program will continue to encourage investment in academic excellence and facilities, experiential learning, and Top 1% student outcomes.

“What an extraordinary opportunity to leverage what Bryant already does so well—create real-world-ready graduates,” said David Beirne, Bryant University Board of Trustees Chair. “Our goal is to provide the number-one undergraduate business education in the nation. The expansion of our campus gives the entire university, and the College of Business specifically, needed innovation space for our students to ideate bold, future-forward visions to transform the world. Fidelity understands and appreciates the impact of Bryant graduates. We are grateful for their continued investment in our students and our future.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Agricultural Sciences Complex

    Agricultural Sciences Complex

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Agricultural Sciences Complex has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.

  • Indiana University Launches Capital Campus in D.C.

    Indiana University recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new IU Capital Campus in Washington, D.C., according to university news. The eight-story facility will provide a central hub for the university’s existing programs and business operations based in D.C., uniting them under one roof and providing the opportunity to expand.

  • Fargo, N.D., Starts Construction on Consolidated Elementary School

    Fargo Public Schools in Fargo, N.D., recently announced the beginning of construction on a new elementary school, according to a news release. The district partnered with ICON Architectural Group and Kraus-Anderson Construction on the new Horace Mann Elementary School.

  • Year-Round Schools Require Year-Round Indoor Air Quality Planning

    While many schools are out for the summer, year-round schools follow a more “balanced” schedule with shorter, more frequent breaks spaced throughout the school year. Even though this offers educational benefits, these facilities have less downtime for building maintenance. This can become an issue when facilities managers overlook the importance of routine HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning services.