RIT to break ground on 35,000-square-foot business school expansion

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Saunders College of Business at Rochester Institute of Technology will kick off its $19 million expansion and renovation of Max Lowenthal Hall with a ceremonial groundbreaking on Tuesday.

Designed by LaBella Associates, the expansion will almost double the size of RIT’s business college, adding more than 35,000 square feet.

Dean Jacqueline Mozrall said the project goes beyond having a bigger building that can serve more students; it also enriches the learning environment elevating the business school to the next level of educational excellence.

RIT President David Munson agreed.

“The expansion will more deeply enrich the learning environment in a new era of business education that calls for interdisciplinary collaboration and increased reliance on information technology,” Munson said, adding the school is thankful for the support of its donors.

The new building will feature student team rooms, applied research and case analysis labs, state-of-the-art auditorium, a café, outdoor spaces, as well as the renovation of existing classrooms in support of innovative and student-centered pedagogy.

The project also continues the school’s efforts to build on community engagement, school leaders said, with the creation of a 6,000-square-foot fourth floor signature event space, which includes a conference hall and reception gallery.

Construction on Max Lowenthal Hall will begin in spring 2022 and will be completed in time to welcome the fall class of 2023.

The ceremony, which will take place during Saunders College’s annual welcome picnic, will honor the many donors who made the multi-million project possible through significant gifts.

Signature donors will join Munson and Mozrall at the event.

The donors include alumni Chance Wright and Susan Riedman Holliday; and the college’s namesake, E. Philip Saunders, who initiated this effort through a transformational gift of $7.5 million.

The college will also announce a new $1 million donation from the Gueldenpfennig family, founders of REDCOM Laboratories Inc. Alumni Klaus Gueldenpfennig, Brigitte Gueldenpfennig and Dinah Gueldenpfennig Weisberg will also attend the celebration.

Collectively, these donors have committed nearly $12 million toward the expansion and renovation of Saunders College.

“We are so grateful for the incredible support of our alumni and friends that has made this expansion possible for our students,” Mozrall said. “This is a monumental moment in the history of Saunders College, and we are excited to celebrate with our students, alumni, friends and community members.”

Holliday, a longtime RIT donor, gave a $1.25 million gift to the Sanders College of Business for the signature event space.

Formerly president, publisher and owner of the Rochester Business Journal, Holliday graduated from the Saunders College MBA program in 1985. She has served on RIT’s Board of Trustees since 1999, and currently serves as vice chair.

Holliday said the expansion will enhance the educational experience for students and foster a collaborative learning environment.

The new event space will allow the school to host conferences and meetings that were historically too large for it to accommodate, she added.

University leaders said the multifunctional venue can be used in support of national and regional business and entrepreneurship conferences, executive education, university and college events, K-12 outreach and other networking activities.

The project will also boost the school’s competitiveness and help propel it into the top tier of business colleges in the country, Holliday said.

“You have to stay current and competitive,” Holliday said, adding the quality of education at Saunders, coupled with the updated and enhanced facilities, give RIT an edge. “It makes a tremendous difference for the students.”

The project comes at a time when Saunders College is experiencing a boost in enrollment.

The fall 2021 semester saw a record number of first-year undergraduate students and record enrollment in the executive MBA program.

Recognized and ranked internationally, Saunders is home to more than 1,800 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled across RIT Global Campuses in Rochester, Croatia, Dubai, Kosovo and China.

Mozrall said one focus that makes RIT’s graduate programs unique is the fact that many include STEM designated elective courses.

Graduate students pursuing their MBAs, for example, can also complete courses in areas such as computing, supply chain analysis and managing innovation.

Companies and organizations across the board operate at the intersection of technology and business, Mozrall said, adding RIT’s programs address that dual need.

“They need business leaders who appreciate and understand how technology drives business performance and solutions,” she said.

Andrea Deckert is a Rochester-area freelance writer.