The Bentley Buzz

This month, many faculty and staff have begun to return to campus for the first time in 16 months as health and safety guidelines have eased. As those returning to their workspaces begin to clean the dust off of their desks and shred papers and notes from March 2020, the Facilities Management team has been busy at work all summer making important updates to buildings and outdoor spaces and supporting major construction projects across campus. If you’re returning to campus soon, here’s what you can expect.

203 Quad (Between LaCava and Rauch)
A major project on campus this summer has been the removal and replacement of the ash trees lining the walkway up to the library steps. Over the course of the past few years, these trees have been in decline due to non-native pests and this year required replacement. But removing these trees was no easy task and required that the entire walkway leading up to the library steps be replaced and repaved.

With this restructured layout complete and new canopy trees installed, the iconic views of the library and clock tower are now significantly amplified when pulling into campus from College Drive. Make sure to stop by to see the new layout when you're back on campus or check out the photos and video below! 

Library Entrance Steps
In addition to the overhaul of the quad leading up to the library steps, the stairs of the building's front entrance were reconstructed to ensure they were safe and accessible for the start of the upcoming academic year. With the library expecting an increase in traffic this year with more students, faculty and staff returning to campus, this project will help to complete the preparations for the fall semester. 

Residence Hall Overhauls and Student Center Updates
Several updates have been made to residence halls across campus in preparation for the fall semester. With at-capacity dorm rooms, suites and apartments anticipated, these renovations will ensure that students' on-campus experiences live up to Bentley's longstanding reputation. Residence hall renovations include new bedroom flooring installation, boiler and chiller replacements, and window and roof renovations and repairs in Kresge, Collins, Forest and Falcone.

In the Student Center, the 921 dining hall received updates to the salad bar, Simple Serving and MyZone stations.  

Main Campus Renovations and New Installations
In addition to the library stair repairs, numerous updates were made to academic and administrative buildings. Morison Hall's slate roof was replaced in preparation for New England's fall and winter weather to prevent leaks or structural damage, and a new building management system was installed in Smith. Outside of LaCava, additional electric vehicle charging stations were installed to support sustainability initiatives at Bentley.

In addition to these campus upgrades and construction projects, the Facilities Management team has been hard at work returning furniture to classrooms to support the return of at-capacity in-person learning, supporting faculty and staff moving back into their workspaces, and keeping the grounds pristine and picturesque this summer.

Join the Buzz in thanking the Facilities Management team for all of their hard work this summer to make sure campus is beautiful and safe as campus will begin to fill up in the coming weeks!   

As part of its commitment to strategic initiatives focused on racial justice, Bentley has invested in the Advancement Initiative, a fund that donates to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to create student scholarships and support university endowments.

Base10, an early stage venture capital firm, created the $250 million fund to align technology companies with wealth creation for underrepresented minorities. The fund invests in pre-IPO startups and donates 50 percent of the fund's carried interest directly to HBCUs.

Bentley’s Investment Committee, made up of alumni with investment industry knowledge and firsthand experience, saw the Advancement Initiative fund as an opportunity to make a positive impact. 

“This fund aligns well with the university’s business focus and commitment to increasing opportunities for diversely led businesses,” said Board Chair Paul Condrin. “Bentley is committed to academic higher education opportunity and success for underrepresented students, and the commitment to funding programs at HBCUs resonated with us.”

Bentley has a long history of working with HBCUs, including identifying promising students from HBCUs for its master’s programs and as an active and long-time participant in the PhD Project, which supports African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans to complete a business PhD. Bentley recently launched the First Generation Fellows program, a leadership-development program that supports first-generation students. 

Bentley Hockey Releases 2021-2022 Season Schedule
The 2021-2022 Bentley hockey schedule was recently released, featuring 18 home games in the Bentley Arena. Fans will be welcomed back this season, and information on how to purchase tickets will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned! 

Women's Volleyball Earns Eighth Straight Academic Award
Bentley's women's volleyball team is one of 161 Division II programs from across the country that earned a United States Marine Corps/AVCA Team Academic Award for the past academic year. This marks the eighth straight year that the Falcons have been recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Three Bentley Hockey Players Named All-American Scholars
Rising senior Ethan Roswell, rising junior Lucas Vanroboys and rising sophomore Ethan Harrison were named Division I All-American Scholars by the American Hockey Coaches Association.

Want to share some news or updates with the Bentley community? 

Email the Buzz