Shideler Renovation

Nearly 50 years after its construction, Shideler Hall is getting a makeover. A completely renovated and expanded (30,000 sq. ft. addition) Shideler Hall will bring together Miami’s Departments of Geography, Geology and Environmental Earth Science, and Institute for the Environment and Sustainability in a single, state‐of‐the‐art geosciences building. And it will serve as a landmark to generations of students approaching the Oxford campus from the east.

Together, these three units serve more than 4,000 students each year in courses, research opportunities and professional experiences preparing students for 21st‐century social and environmental challenges. The newly enhanced Shideler Hall will support an increasingly interactive and project-oriented curriculum, providing access to modern facilities to gain hands-on learning opportunities.

Geography will be at the heart of the building with an expanded Geographic Information Science (GIS) suite, including two new computer laboratories and a project-based studio serving our undergraduates in Geography and Urban and Regional Planning, as well as our M.A. program in Geography.

The building will be both beautiful and sustainable, meeting the green building standards of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design "Silver" certification. While much of this innovation will be built into the building, visible reminders can be seen in the planned native landscape garden (see related story). These will provide places for faculty and students to connect in a variety of settings.

This important project is supported by $19.5 million in state funds, as well as contributions from the College of Arts and Science and Office of the Provost. But your donations can support educational, research, sustainability innovations beyond the baseline budget. For more information or to donate, please visit www.forloveandhonor.org and specify "Shideler Renovation Fund." And come visit us in our new home in 2016!