Seven years ago, the question was asked: What would the ideal place for teaching, learning, and discovering the humanities look like at Miami University?

Bachelor Hall has provided that answer.

A large gathering of the Miami community packed Bachelor Hall on Sept. 25 for the grand opening celebration of the renovated building and for the naming of the Altman Institute for the Humanities.

Guests were introduced to a renovated hub for the humanities at Miami, which offers dynamic, interactive, and collaborative spaces for students and faculty.

“What we’re celebrating today is about more than a remarkable transformation of a building,” Renée Baernstein, dean of the College of Arts and Science (CAS), said during the event. “For me, it’s the realization of a dream.”

Improvements to the facility helped consolidate space and modernize classrooms. The departments of English; History; Media, Journalism, and Film; and Philosophy all call Bachelor home, as does the Altman Institute for the Humanities, the American Culture and English Program, and the Ohio Writing Project.

New features to the building include a modern TV studio; the Bachelor Great Room, a 68-person multifunctional space for events and teaching; a dedicated event space for the Altman Institute for the Humanities; and the atrium, a four-story space that provides visual and physical connectivity to the core of the building.

With 20 classrooms and 141 offices, Bachelor Hall’s square footage has expanded from 112,000 to 120,418. This is the first major refurbishment to the facility in its nearly 50-year history.

“Thank you to all those who put their heart and soul into making something so special here at Miami that will reach generations to come,” Miami President Gregory Crawford said.

President Crawford noted Miami is committed to spaces that are student-centered, as well as areas that bring people together to encourage transdisciplinary work.

“We wanted this space to be that convergence place on campus,” President Crawford said.

“I’m very proud of all the accomplishments of the faculty and staff who made this building happen, because it’s truly outstanding. It’s just amazing to look up and feel the energy and vibrancy of this place.”

President Crawford also received a commendation during the event from the office of U.S. Sen. Jon Husted. It was presented by Anthony Rossi, a College of Arts and Science student and an intern for Husted.

Central to Bachelor Hall is the Altman Institute for the Humanities, named in recognition of Class of 1960 alumnus John W. Altman`s longtime support of the humanities at Miami.

Previously known as the Humanities Center, the Altman Institute for the Humanities helps foster collaboration, pedagogical innovation, and new research across the humanities and beyond.

Altman’s support of the humanities includes a $1.5 million matching gift, which has the potential to raise a total of $3 million for the Altman Institute and a new Curriculum Fund. This will expand programming to equip students with crucial skills for the technological age through research apprenticeships, applied-learning labs, and student-driven projects.

“I’m deeply grateful to you, John, for your generosity and your leadership,” said Tim Melley, director of the Altman Institute for the Humanities. “Because this is a matching gift, it gives us the opportunity to raise a total of $3 million and to build the community of supporters and friends that we need to execute our vision over the coming years.”

Melley also spoke about the several student exhibits and demonstrations showcased around Bachelor.

“The faculty you see around you today deeply believe that we are giving students the capabilities they need for leadership and success in any profession,” Melley said.

Among the planned interactive exhibits were a live recording of the “Stats + Stories” podcast; a looping reel of short films and video projects from students in Media, Journalism, and Film; Ask a Philosopher, with one-on-one conversations with Philosophy faculty and students; Poetry for Humans, which included zine making and button haiku; History in Public, featuring hands-on public history projects; a demonstration in the Rick Ludwin TV Studio; and more.

The humanities study what it means to be human, Baernstein said, and they help Miami students learn to become better leaders, better communicators, more ethical citizens, and more empathetic community members.

“We’re not just preserving these fields; we’re transforming them, creating a new era of relevance and sharing them with every single student on this campus,” Baernstein said. “The enduring skills and values imbued by the humanities have never mattered more than they matter right now.

“We have a place to read carefully, to think hard, and to dream big. This is what it means for the humanities to shape the future.”