Administration

Trustees approve architect for Liberal Arts research and teaching building

MEDIA, Pa. – The appointment of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ) of Wilkes‐Barre, Pennsylvania, as architect for the Liberal Arts Research and Teaching Building to be constructed on the University Park campus was approved today (July 18) by the Penn State Board of Trustees.

BCJ was selected based on its work with similar projects, including the Biobehavioral Health Building at University Park and projects at Williams College and Lehigh University.

The approximately 134,000-square-foot building, to be built between the Ford and Mateer buildings along Park Avenue, will become the home of several College of the Liberal Arts academic units currently located elsewhere on campus, including the School of Public Policy and the departments of Anthropology, Political Science, Sociology and Criminology. The McCourtney Institute for Democracy, the Population Research Institute and departments in the School of International Affairs also are expected to relocate to the new building upon its anticipated completion in 2023.

“This new space will create dynamic learning opportunities for our students, spur even more innovative research encompassing an array of disciplines among our faculty, and strengthen the college’s reputation as one of the premier liberal arts institutions in the country,” said Clarence Lang, the Susan Welch Dean of the College of the Liberal Arts.  “Most Penn State students regardless of their major take nearly one-third of their classes in the liberal arts, so it’s safe to say that nearly every Penn State student will benefit in some way from the construction of this new building.” 

Last Updated July 18, 2019