The Traveler

Issue date: 8/20/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Spencer Presley David Hyatt, assitant dean for finance and administration leads a group through the new Willard J. Walker hall Thursday afternoon. The new 77,000 square facility is one of several new state of the art buildings that will be open to students this semester.

In what was once a parking lot in 2005 now stands a four-building business campus, which includes the newly constructed Willard J. Walker Hall.

Serving as a connecting point between faculty, students and administrators, the $23 million project contains the Global Financial Markets Trading Center, which is "bigger and better than most," said associate professor of business Craig Rennie.

With a lab similar to the facility at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, students will be working in "real time in the real world," Rennie said.

Three large LED wall boards are positioned in the front of the room while a red wall balances the technology and hardware from the back.

In addition to the two training seminar studios located behind the lab, the institute has four flat-screen monitors hanging from the center of the ceiling and displaying the latest information from the stock market.

Willard J. Walker Hall, between Kimpel Hall and the Harmon Parking Garage, displays a view of the new fountain and mini theater, which can be used for outdoor classes.

"It's kind of a mini-campus within a campus," said Willard Walker Hall project director David Hyatt.

Not only will the building's design and décor lighten attitudes, but the "latest and greatest" business technology is now available in almost every room, said Marion Dunagan, director of the Graduate School of Business.

"You want a physical plant that reflects the academic quality your department offers" said Dan Worrell, Walton College Dean and Sam M. Walton Leadership chairman.

The 77,000 square-foot building is filled with computers and workspaces to accommodate a large number of students.

Almost all of the private workspaces have digital self-reservation panels, which will allow students to reserve space electronically for groups by entering their student identification number. The work spaces also include flat-screened projection monitors, personal storage space and areas that can be used as workrooms.

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