page_title: Bowling Green State University
section_title: 2008-2019
hierarchical_section_title: Bowling Green State University / History / 2008-2019
caption_attribution_description: English: The Oaks Dining Hall. Taken shortly after opening in Fall of 2011
context_page_description: Bowling Green State University is a public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio. The 1,338-acre main academic and residential campus is 15 miles south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized programs and research facilities in the natural and social sciences, education, arts, business, health and wellness, humanities and applied technologies. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 as a normal school, specializing in teacher training and education, as part of the Lowry Normal School Bill that authorized two new normal schools in the state of Ohio. Over the university's history, it developed from a small rural normal school into a comprehensive public university.
  In 2019, Bowling Green offered over 200 undergraduate programs, as well as master's and doctoral degrees through eight academic colleges. BGSU had an on-campus residential student population of approximately 6,000 students and a total enrollment of over 19,000 students as of 2018. The university also maintains a satellite campus, known as BGSU Firelands, in Huron, Ohio, 60 miles east of the main campus.
context_section_description: In 2008, the university began the first phase of a $200 million renovation project. BGSU first announced plans for the Stroh Center, a 5,000-seat arena to replace the aging Anderson Arena. The $36 million arena opened in September 2011, hosting basketball and volleyball; in addition to graduation ceremonies, concerts and other events. The arena was named for Kermit Stroh and Mary Lu Stroh, who donated $7.7 million for the project, the largest single private gift in BGSU's history. 
  In 2009 the university began construction on the Wolfe Center for the Arts. The 93,000-square-foot (8,600 m²) facility opened in 2011 with performance space, as well as work and classroom areas for art studies of the School of Art, the Department of Theatre and Film, and the School of Musical Arts. The facility was designed by Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta, the firm's first American project. That same year, BGSU built a $40 million residence hall project that included two new residence halls, one a traditional-style dorm and a second suite-style for upperclassmen. The residence hall project added more than 800 beds. In the fall of 2011, BGSU opened The Oaks dining hall. The Oaks was constructed with sustainable designs that included a hybrid solar and wind power system to fulfill Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), an electric-powered truck to distribute food on campus, and a rooftop garden. The building used sustainable and recycled construction materials.
  In Fall of 2016 the university began offering a degree in Mechatronics engineering.
  In 2016 and 2017, three major renovations were complete to three original campus building, totaling about $70 million. The former South Hall was re-opened in fall 2016 after undergoing a $24 million renovation and renaming to The Michael and Sarah Kuhlin Center. The building is home to BGSU's School of Media and Communications.
  Following a $25 million renovation and restoration, University Hall re-opened in Fall 2017. It was originally built in 1915 as one of the first buildings on campus and represents a tie to the University past while recognizing technology and new ways of learning in today's educational environment. Today, University Hall houses the Office of Admissions, cutting-edge classrooms emphasizing technology, and active learning spaces. Also, in Fall 2017, Moseley Hall reopened, following a $21 million restoration and renovation. Moseley Hall, built in 1916, originally housed the University's agricultural science program. Today, it features technologically advanced laboratories for chemistry, biology, geology, and medical lab science.
  In January 2019 the university began offering a winter session, with an enrollment of at least 1,000 students.
  In November 2019 the Computer Science Department celebrated its 50th anniversary, with former Stanford University Computer Science chair Dr. Alex Aiken and Dr. David Fulton giving speeches.
caption: The Oaks Dining Hall
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