Dear colleagues and students:
Last weekend, Colgate’s Board of Trustees gave final approval for the construction of a new facility to house the Center for Career Services. Initiated by a generous lead gift from trustee Dan Benton ’80 and fully funded through additional alumni and parent support, this new facility will provide for the needs of 21st-century Colgate students. Construction is expected to begin this fall, with completion slated for late 2016.
Designed by the firm of Ayers Saint Gross to complement the historic beauty of the Colgate University campus, the 16,000-square-foot building will feature state-of-the art Internet technology to connect students with employers and graduate and professional school admissions professionals from around the world. The building will also offer new public spaces available to faculty, staff, students, and alumni for innovative programs, seminars, presentations, conferences, and performances.
The site recommended by the building committee and approved by the full board will be located where the current Center for Learning, Teaching, and Research (CLTR) and the Office of Undergraduate Studies (OUS) reside. Plans had already been approved to move the CLTR into renovated space in Lathrop Hall this summer. OUS will move to the La Casa house this summer and will remain headquartered there throughout construction of the new building.
The residents and members of La Casa were consulted this past fall and enthusiastically agreed to relocate to the Class of ’34 House at 49 Broad St., a location that moves their program and living space into the heart of the Broad Street community and provides much higher visibility. Planning is currently underway to determine the needs of the OUS program and create a new, permanent space for this important group of students.
Having a new home for career services is a crucial step forward for the university. Nearly 90 percent of all students have already engaged with the center this academic year. Meanwhile, our professional networks have sponsored events that have brought undergraduates and alumni together for important networking opportunities.
Together, our community is creating a career services hub that will match our ambitions — as faculty and staff interested in the best possible outcomes for our students and as undergraduates looking ahead to a bright, fulfilling future.
Sincerely,
Murray L. Decock ’80
Vice President, Institutional Advancement