Quality of the learning environment

January 26, 2009

As we approach the middle of winter, my students (and many faculty) are getting antsy about the beginning of Phase 1 of the Marian College Music Center's expansion. The expansion of the music center will allow us to accommodate the quickly growing music population due to the new bands program and growing choral program. This new facility, phase 1 of 3, includes:

• multiple Wenger practice rooms
• large rehearsal hall with 20 feet tall ceilings
• large instrument storage room
• instrument repair station
• percussion storage room
• marching band uniform storage
• administrative assistant office space

Schmidt Associates (architectural firm) designed a building that pays homage to the beauty and class of the historic Stokely and Allison mansions, staples in the design of Marian College's beautiful and vibrant campus. To honor our heritage as a Catholic university and look to the future, the facade resembles the recently built University Hall dormitory and has a wall of the first ten notes of the university fight song, "We rise and cheer for you dear Marian", marked in neumatic notation, a notation style that is most commonly associated with gregorian chants and Catholic liturgical music.

Buildings are amenities that serve the greater good of a campus and it's community. Improving instructional quality and academic performance is greatly enhanced with a quality learning envorinment. Having a "quality learning environment" does not mean to suggest having a new facility or more instruments, rather that the most important part of the building is you-the educator, the eager student or the supportive parent. It is very important to relate them to our bigger purpose-human development. Without students being able to take advantage of another great learning tool, these projects are not relevant.

Having a new facility or renovation does not guarantee success but rather allows you access to another tool to offer your students, parents, administration, etc. Keeping this in perspective is an essential element to your sustained successes. Without the support of your students, alumni, faculty, staff, boosters, administration and community...a structure is simply an open space, but with their support it becomes an envorinment destined for great things.