Kent, OHIO – Eight months since the beam topping-off ceremony for Crawford Hall on Kent State’s front campus, remarkable progress has been made on the building.
Earlier this month, black lettering with the college name – “The Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship” - was installed atop the Main Street-facing wall.
“Roofing is complete, brick masonry is complete and the final ribbon windows are being installed on the northeast corner of the building,” University Architect Jay Graham reported at the recent Kent State Board of Trustees meeting. “All of the progress on the exterior allowed crews to continue working inside the building all winter in a warm and dry environment.”
Graham noted that multi-story spaces are currently filled with scaffolding to allow contractors to install lighting, sprinkler piping, ductwork, and ceilings. In other locations around the building such as the second floor, offices are drywalled and painted and ceilings and lighting are being installed. On the third floor in the Global Forum, the circular drum projection screen is taking shape. This 2-story classroom will have 400 seats in-the-round and offer an unobstructed view to the instructor and the projection screen no matter where a student sits.
Graham reported that construction activity will continue through May with final inspections and furniture and equipment installation taking place in June. Faculty and staff will move into the building in July and students will be welcomed to the new building in August for the start of the fall semester.
Crawford Hall will include modern teaching and research spaces including active learning classrooms, the John S. and Marlene J. Brinzo Center for Entrepreneurship, the Robert M. and Janet L. Archer Kent Water Sports Business Analytics Lab, the Arthur and Susan Karas Behavioral Research Hub, sales labs, the Robert M. and Janet L. Archer Kent Water Sports Trading Lab, the James R. Unger Global Forum, a business theatre and a student success center. Crawford Hall will provide approximately 50% more square footage than the existing business building.
“We look forward to starting the 2024-25 academic year in Crawford Hall, where students will have access to a modern, collaborative learning environment which will prepare them for business careers of the future,” said Deborah F. Spake, Ph.D., dean of the college.
About Kent State University’s Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship
Kent State University’s Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship is among 1% of business schools worldwide to obtain dual accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in both business and accounting. The college offers 10 undergraduate majors, 14 minors, and an undergraduate Professional Sales Certificate; MBA; master’s degrees in accounting, business analytics and economics; graduate certificates, dual degree programs and a Ph.D. program. For more information about Kent State’s Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship, visit www.kent.edu/crawford.