Over the past months, DU has seen multiple construction projects on the south side of campus. The Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science, located in between the Newman Center and Olin Hall, is still being built. However, the Anna and J. Sie International Relations Complex, adjoining Cherrington Hall and the Sié Chéou-Kang Center, is newly finished and open for access. These new buildings, and their emphasis on different disciplines, will benefit DU students and the university itself in the future through their implications and inspirations to academics and opportunity.
The new building for engineering and computer science is part of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiative, which is dedicated to promoting and expanding DU’s commitment to these fields of study. Part of growing a program is providing a physical space to support opportunities for education and growth. The newly constructed building will be powerful in being able to entice prospective STEM students, while simultaneously supporting and providing for current students’ education.
The new International Relations Complex has a slightly different purpose and effect. DU’s programs for international studies (INTS) are already extremely strong; the Master’s program was ranked No. 11 in the country according to a 2015 survey, not to mention the school’s notable alumni, which include Condoleezza Rice and Heraldo Munoz. Since these programs are already well established thanks to their influential founders in 1964, the purpose of the recently opened building is multi-faceted, allowing it to be beneficial in multiple ways.
First and foremost, the new INTS addition will serve DU students in providing more space, as well as more advanced technology, to support learning and success. In addition, the building itself, from beautiful aesthetics to classic DU architecture and a signature blue spire, is a product of DU values; leadership, global thinking and commitment to higher education are pieces of DU that deserve recognition in the academic community. The building is proud but welcoming, speaking to DU’s commitment to providing students with the opportunity to make a difference. Plus, the new building includes classrooms as well as spaces for reception and interaction with guests and influential leaders, such as the balcony on the top floors. This additional building will have a positive impact on campus as a space of sharing and learning global values.
Though this construction has spanned many months, its impact and implications for the future of DU is undeniably positive. From the new strides being made for engineering and computer science, to the re-affirmation and values of the international studies program, these new buildings are commitments to moving DU forward in order to continue beneficial and important education.
