UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of the Liberal Arts hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 12 to celebrate the construction of the Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building — the first new liberal arts building at the University Park campus in more than 50 years.
The Board of Trustees approved final plans for construction of the building on July 22. Upon its anticipated fall 2024 completion, the 143,000-square-foot building will bring several academic units in the College of the Liberal Arts — the School of Public Policy and the departments of Anthropology, Political Science, and Sociology and Criminology — and the School of International Affairs under one roof. General-purpose classrooms and other state-of-the art learning spaces, along with the relocation of the Matson Museum of Anthropology, the Population Research Institute, the McCourtney Institute for Democracy, the Criminal Justice Research Center, and a host of other labs, centers and institutes to the new facility will quickly help establish the Welch Building as an innovative hub of social science teaching, research and outreach activity.
“I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it was to give our overwhelming endorsement to constructing the Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building,” said Matthew W. Schuyler, chair of the Penn State Board of Trustees. "Although we are just commencing with the project, picture in your mind what I envision this building will become — a hub of academic excellence where the leaders of tomorrow are being shaped and the most pressing issues facing society today are being addressed, and a magnificent facility that affords us greater opportunities to connect with our neighbors but allows us to maintain the character of the neighborhood in which it sits.”
“Facilities such as the Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building are one of the most significant investments we can make in our students and demonstrate just how deeply committed we are to helping them learn, grow and thrive,” Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said during the ceremony. "And not just liberal arts students — while this new building will indeed be known as the Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building, it’s important to remember that nearly every Penn State student completes about one-third of their coursework in the liberal arts.”
Clarence Lang, Susan Welch Dean of the College of the Liberal Arts, noted that for students, the Welch Building will quickly become a “place for them to find their place” at Penn State and beyond. “The building will be a modern, innovative hub of scholarship, research and social activity where undergraduate and graduate students alike have the chance to learn and work alongside faculty, forge friendships and create a sense of community, and prepare for whatever personal or professional journeys await them,” Lang said.
“The Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building opens an exciting new phase for the social sciences at Penn State by providing modern space and new opportunities for education, research and collaboration,” added Tim Ryan, professor and head of the Penn State Department of Anthropology. “I’ve enjoyed the challenging process of working with other heads and directors in designing the building, and I look forward to building a community of scholars in the building that cuts across all the departments.”
Lang thanked “the commonwealth of Pennsylvania; the Penn State Board of Trustees; President Bendapudi and her predecessor, Eric Barron; Gene and Roz Chaiken; and everyone else who played a role in making the Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building a reality.”
Schuyler also thanked Gene and Roz Chaiken for making the transformational gift that allowed the building to be named in honor of Welch, who served as dean of the College of the Liberal Arts from 1991 until 2019 and passed away on March 28.
“Gene and Roz’s gift late last year cemented their legacy as the largest creators of undergraduate scholarships in Penn State history,” Schuyler said. “In return for that gift, they made one request — that the new liberal arts building be named for their friend Susan Welch. It was an incredibly generous and selfless gesture, and one that easily received unanimous support from the board without hesitation.”
Gene Chaiken spoke of he and Roz wanting to make the dream of a college education a reality for as many students as possible while honoring the legacy of their longtime friend, who worked tirelessly during her 28-year tenure to elevate the stature of the College of the Liberal Arts.
“Susan did so much for the college and the University, and we wanted to honor her by having the building carry her name,” he said.
The total cost of the project is estimated to be $127.7 million, with most of the funding coming from the state, borrowing and capital reserves.