WKU News

A groundbreaking will be held next month for a new building to house the Gordon Ford College of Business.

WKU’s Amy Bingham takes a closer look at the facility in this week’s View from the Hill.

A lot of input was sought from students, faculty and staff on what would make the new space for the Gordon Ford College of Business elevate business education at WKU.

In just over two years this signature space, formerly occupied by Tate Page Hall, will be home to this 113,000-square-foot facility.

President Timothy C. Caboni says a new business college has been a university priority for more than twenty years, before he even arrived on campus.

“In my opening press conference as President I got asked the question about this project and my comment and my response was a great college of business deserves a great place to conduct its business.”

Renderings of the space were recently unveiled to the board of regents.

Gensler Architects of Chicago spent several days in the lobbies of Grise Hall gathering feedback and observing the needs of a new facility.

“And so they came back after gathering all the information and then it was amazing because, like they get us, they know us, they know what we want and I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

“So part of the design offers ample seating, a lot more seating than exists today.  Spaces the students feel like they can take ownership of and belong and to encourage some of those more casual conversations between students, faculty and staff.

The design includes an area for mock interviews, a space for the clothes closet, a sales lab, a trading room and even a coffee shop.

“One of the drivers for the project was to design a building that was flexible, that was borderless for these key important programs that are highly visible especially for first generation students.”

President Caboni says the skylight that opens under the dome is symbolic of a student’s climb and reaching the top of that facility.

“Our task was to make sure the dome had a purpose in the design, wasn’t just something that just looked great from the outside but it was something that the students could experience from the inside and became a focal point and this part of this key journey that the students undertake in their growth at WKU.”

The Kentucky General Assembly approved nearly $75 million for the building the April of last year.

The groundbreaking for the College of Business building will be held next month and the facility  is expected to be operational by Fall of 2025.

More: The Future of Business Education at WKU