Gies receives $25 million donation to build new intercollegiate building

By Ella Narag, Staff Writer

The Gies College of Business has received an anonymous donation of $25 million in support of building the South Campus Center for Interdisciplinary Learning. The gift was given by an alum of Gies. 

According to the release sent out by the college, the facility includes supportive technology for both residential and online learners. High-tech classrooms, study lounges and other collaborative learning spaces will be available for students at the new facility. 

“We’re really excited about this new facility … The resources that it creates will not just be used by Gies, but by other units on campus as well,” said Jeff Brown, dean of the Gies College of Business.

Brown also noted that he hopes the facility might be able to increase the capacity of enrollment in Gies. 

“We haven’t made decisions on that yet, but it’s nice to at least be able to have that as a potential option as we move forward,” Brown said. 

Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!

  • Catch the latest on University of Illinois news, sports, and more. Delivered every weekday.
  • Stay up to date on all things Illini sports. Delivered every Monday.
Thank you for subscribing!

The four-story building will be constructed between the Business Instructional Facility and Huff Hall. Construction will begin in the spring of 2023 and is expected to finish by spring of 2025. 

“I’m pretty excited for it,” said Zach Marsico, freshman in Business. “I think that with the addition of a new business building, a lot of opportunities are opened up for students.”

The total construction of the SCCIL is estimated to be around $100 million. As a collaborative shared space, the cost will be shared between the Gies College of Business and the University, although the Gies will cover most of the cost. 

“It’s definitely gonna have an impact, and we’re excited about it not just for business students but really for every student on campus that at least has the potential to benefit from it,” Brown said. 

 

[email protected]