With private support, construction has begun on a $5 million renovation of Louise Pound Hall to create a new global education center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
The global education center will serve as the physical hub of the university’s international activity, bringing together the four Global Affairs units (International Students and Scholars Office, Education Abroad, Programs in English as a Second Language, and Office of Global Strategies) to streamline international student support services and better coordinate campus-wide global engagement.
Renovations will include an interactive gallery space to display works with a focus on global grand challenges and additional areas for student exhibitions and engagement. Designed by Nebraska-based architecture firm Clark & Enersen, the global education center will be an interactive learning space to facilitate interdisciplinary learning, collaboration and storytelling.
“We are very excited to announce the creation of the global education center, one of the major initiatives of our Forward Together global strategy” said Josh Davis, associate vice chancellor for global affairs and senior international officer. “The center will help us better coordinate experiential learning opportunities for students and foster campus collaboration for strengthening our global partnerships.”
Announced in February 2021, Forward Together is Nebraska’s first institutional strategy to support global engagement and education opportunities at the university. It is closely tied to the N2025 Strategic Plan, which prioritizes experiential education, innovation and global partnerships. By creating a hub for global initiatives, the 20,000 square foot space within historic Louise Pound Hall aligns the university’s strategy, people and resources to create dynamic synergies for experiential learning and tackling global challenges.
“Investment in this space will enable us to continue expanding access, opportunity and innovation within the global sphere that is crucial to the university’s identity as a modern land grant institution,” said Executive Vice Chancellor Elizabeth Spiller. “It also reaffirms with students from around the world that we value them as an important part of our Husker community.”
Renovations will also include a state-of-the-art “virtual classroom” facility available to faculty and academic units across campus to co-create mutually beneficial virtual exchanges with partners around the world.
“As a transformative, world-leading land grant institution, we are committed to partnerships that prepare students to contribute to our global community. The lobal education enter is a tangible testament of this commitment and will enable us to anchor global engagement for years to come,” Davis said.
Initial construction for the center renovations has already begun. Completion of the project is scheduled for fall 2022.
