Faculty and staff cheered for the renovated Campbell Hall. The new accessible doors are visible on either side of the historic stairway.
The newly renovated Campbell Hall on The Ohio State University’s Columbus campus reopened last week, in time for the start of the new academic year. A host of facility upgrades are designed to enhance the student experience at Ohio State, university officials said.
The College of Education and Human Ecology hosted Campbell Hall’s grand re-opening ceremony on Friday, Aug. 21.
Renovation of the 110-year-old building began in summer 2023. The $61.2 million project includes university and state funding as well as private donations.
“A three-year renovation has transformed Campbell Hall into a modern facility equipped for a new century of education, innovation, scholarship and community impact,” said Interim Dean Erik Porfeli. “For more than 100 faculty and staff, they will call Campbell Hall their home, continuing the legacy of so many others who have worked in this space.”
The renovation includes:
- Updated research laboratories
- An instructional kitchen
- Faculty, staff and student offices and workspaces
- Auditorium renovations
- Climate-controlled storage and gallery for the college’s Historic Costume and Textiles Collection
- Modernized interior and exterior accessibility features
- Restoration of the Mirror Lake-facing building façade
- A new, three-story community space in the center of the building that can host informal gatherings
“The most important thing is what happens inside the building,” said Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Trevor Brown. “The most important activity is the feeling and the energy it creates in the space to help our students, to help our faculty position our students for the world.”
Collaboration among the partners involved in the project was essential, said Todd Henterly, facilities project management specialist with Facilities, Design and Construction in the university’s Office of Administration and Planning.
“We had the right team that was able to deliver the project within the confines of the resources,” he said. “It's a testament to how much the team really just dug in on this project and worked together.”
Spaces to collaborate, explore and discover
The renovation brings together several of the college’s programs and departments under one roof: the Department of Human Sciences and the Department of Educational Studies.
Evan Miller, a doctoral student in the Human Nutrition program, said moving to Campbell Hall, with its updated research facilities has bolstered his enthusiasm for research.
“Having a professional, welcoming space allows us to provide participants with a positive research experience and creates an environment I’m proud to bring them into,” he said. “Being in this setting has strengthened my interest in clinical research and reinforced how rewarding I find a direct interaction between research and participants.”
Campbell Hall now also houses the Department of Educational Studies.
“We need spaces that foster community, connection and creativity. Campbell Hall gives us exactly that,” said Dawn Shrimplin, an educational studies graduate student. “Stepping into these classrooms isn’t just about sitting through a lecture. It’s about entering a space designed to inspire us.”
Campbell Hall also has new workspaces for students in the Fashion and Retail Studies program. Facilities include a 3D printer, a manufacturing-grade laser cutter and software applications such as AutoCAD and RhinoCAM.
The equipment will help students realize their most inventive ideas for clothing and accessories, said Alexandra Suer, a Human Sciences senior lecturer.
“They’re going to have a whole new range of capabilities that they’ve never had before,” she said. “The type of output from this space is going to be really exciting.”
Campbell Hall’s expanded, well-lit workspaces have the potential to promote collaboration among students, said Jonas Rogers, a Fashion and Retail Studies major.
“It’s a great place to be innovative. I feel like there are so many resources here that will bring students together,” he said. “It gives us a sense of community because we’re able to work together and talk to one another and bounce ideas off of each other. It’s a good hub for us.”
Carolyn Ready, a consumer sciences graduate student, said the new space is welcoming, even for students who are not majoring in fashion-related subjects but would like to explore their creativity.
“I think it’s an amazing opportunity for any student. We accept cross-majors,” said Ready, who volunteers as a sewing instructor for undergraduates. “If you need some type of relaxation or downtime, this is one of the things to consider – sewing. We have a lot more equipment and tools here for the students to use and become familiar with.”
The Campbell Hall renovation is a physical representation of Ohio State’s land-grant mission, Porfeli said.
“The academic enterprise of what we do has direct and engaged relevance with students on our campus, who we serve in powerful ways every day to help them navigate the challenges of their lives and overcome them to great success,” he said. “These are things that can happen, certainly, in Campbell Hall.”
