The gift was the largest in NIU history. The school has outstanding programs and an excellent faculty already in place, the only thing that seemed to be missing was a first-class facility. The building's centerpiece is a soaring three-story atrium that architect Mark Hopkins believes will help foster a sense of community. The main level will also have a terrace overlooking a small pond on the east side of the building. In addition to that primary meeting area, the architect included small formal and informal meeting areas throughout the building where teams and groups can gather to work, a feature that puts the design in line with the latest in corporate thinking.
Businesses today expect graduates to excel working in small groups.
To prepare them for that environment, our students are involved in more teamwork than those in any other college on the campus, and this design provides us with the flexibility to accommodate that style of teaching. As spectacular as the design will be, students and faculty are even more excited about the technology that will be built into the new college. When completed, Barsema Hall will feature the absolute latest in Internet connectivity. Every desk in every classroom will be wired for power and the fastest Internet connections on the market. This building will make unprecedented networking connections available to professors and students alike.