Christendom College broke ground on the new Madonna Hall faculty office expansion this past Friday, November 10, signaling the beginning of a new era for one of the college’s academic community spaces. Over the next year, the college will expand the faculty offices at Madonna Hall with two new buildings and a gathering space to enhance the students’ college experience. The new faculty offices are anticipated to open in fall 2024.
“This project reflects our steadfast commitment to meeting the needs of our faculty and students today and future generations,” said College President Dr. Timothy O’Donnell. “We have kept our academic community as the focus of this project, seeking a space that celebrates the personal education we offer. The buildings will give much-needed space for our faculty to welcome students and continue their fine work as mentors to the Catholic leaders of tomorrow.”
Artistic renderings of the planned expansion. N.B. Renderings depict concept art of the completed three-phase project.
The first phase of the plan will deliver two new single-story buildings, totaling approximately six thousand square feet, housing fourteen new offices, including three small faculty lounge areas and two small conference rooms with ground-level entry. This will bring the total number of faculty offices at this location to forty-three, ensuring a dignified space for our faculty to work, host office hours, and mentor students outside of class.
The construction plan has been designed with current faculty input to encourage interaction with students and build faculty community. The purpose of this new space is to enable Christendom to invest in academic excellence by increasing full-time faculty by 25% between 2021 and 2025. These two new buildings at the north end will form a “u” shape extending and enclosing the current courtyard formed by the existing Madonna Hall structure.
Artistic renderings of the planned expansion. N.B. Renderings depict concept art of the completed three-phase project.
In addition, a wide gathering area between the two buildings on the western side will provide views of the river. This patio area will be an ideal spot for dances, classes, and group study sessions. A new outdoor amphitheater at the end of this patio area, seating approximately eighty-five people, will overlook the Shenandoah River. The dream of an amphitheater has been one held by many students, faculty, and staff throughout the years and is finally becoming a reality. Professors also will have the opportunity to hold larger classes here on pleasant weather days.
“We all know, through our beautiful chapel, how important the beauty of space and the fittingness of the architecture is to our individual and communal flourishing, and it is thanks to our donors that we are able to fulfill our vocation with gratitude and great joy,” said Dr. Kathleen Sullivan, assistant professor of English language and literature and president of the college’s faculty senate. “We faculty are grateful to the past generations, and to our present administration, board, staff, donors, and fellow faculty, who have dug deep into the soil of Christendom, laying the foundation and allowing us to take up our pens to write and to teach what is true, good, and beautiful. Thanks to them, we are able to help form young minds to seek wisdom and encourage them to orient their hearts and minds, their souls, to the source and summit of wisdom itself: God.”
At the back of Regina Coeli Hall, the college’s main administration building, a new stone staircase will provide access to the courtyard below with an accessible ramp directly to the south.
Phases two and three of the project will involve the addition of a covered four-column portico extending from Regina Hall as well as exterior embellishments to the existing Madonna Hall building.
To support this exciting project for our faculty and students, please visit www.christendom.edu/madonnahall.