Open for Business Ceremony to Cut Ribbon on New College of Business

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (www.unl.edu) will celebrate the opening of its new College of Business from 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday, August 18. Students, alumni, friends and more can attend the Open for Business: Ribbon Cutting and Back to School Bash by RSVPing at http://business.unl.edu/bash.

The $84 million, 240,000-square-foot building is the largest academic building project in the recent history at the University. The college is located in the center of City Campus at 14th and Vine Streets.

The event kicking off the 2017-18 academic year features live music, food and drinks, prizes and a celebration of the college’s community. The bash is sponsored by Sandhills Publishing. The formal ribbon cutting ceremony takes place at 4 p.m. and includes speakers from university leadership, including Interim Dean Kathy Farrell.

Farrell believes the building symbolizes the strong growth seen at the college during the past six years. Many programs and services such as the Business Career Center, Honors Academy, Clifton Strengths Institute, Executive Education and others did not exist until recent years.

“This building will provide so many opportunities for our College of Business Community. We are grateful to the many who have helped make it possible,” said Farrell.

Donations from alumni built the privately-funded facility, which possesses an iconic look of sand-colored limestone and deep blue glass adjacent to Morrill Hall’s famous bronze mammoth statue and across Memorial Mall from Memorial Stadium. Alex Fernando, a senior business administration and broadcasting major from Jefferson, South Dakota, embraces the opportunity to spend his final year at Nebraska attending classes in the new building.

“I’m very excited for the new building,” said Fernando. “It shows the growth of our college which also reflects the growth of the university. I’m involved with a lot of recruitment efforts at Nebraska such as showing prospective students around campus through a part-time job with Campus Hosts. The new building definitely makes an impression.”

Rik Barrera, associate dean of student services and chief operating officer, managed the building project on behalf of the college, coordinating construction with Hausmann Construction, who saw the project through to completion on time and budget.

“We have worked on this building project for five years, and when we move in there will be a new sense of pride and motivation,” Barrera said. “It will be a wonderful place to go to class, work, study, visit with colleagues and friends, get something to eat and hang out. This building will strengthen our already strong community.”

More than 4,200 students, 117 faculty and 65 staff are part of the College of Business. An additional 1,500 non-business majors take business minor courses.

To learn more and RSVP for the Open for Business event, visit: http://business.unl.edu/bash.