After being closed for renovation for the past few semesters, the freshly renovated Merrifield Hall has officially reopened. Home to the Honors Program office, English, Philosophy, and Language Departments, Merrifield Hall has welcomed in a wide variety of students and faculty. The building was originally constructed in 1929 and has hosted classes for a century worth of learners. Its deep and rich history along with its beautiful architecture is what makes this building such a unique and important place on the University of North Dakota campus.
Merrifield Hall means so much to alumni and current students, so it was important to preserve its beauty while also updating the quality of learning by making necessary upgrades. Perhaps one of the most exciting updates for students and faculty has been the updated seating and flexibility of the classrooms. The old classrooms had more of an old school traditional layout including the standard single chair and desk. This layout does not lend itself easily to encouraging discussion and collaboration. The new classrooms now have easy to move shared desks and detached seats that allow for flexibility and most importantly the ability for professors to try out new layouts that may enhance their teaching and their students’ learning.
A few more notable improvements made to Merrifield Hall include the skywalk that allows students to travel from Merrifield Hall to Nistler and to the Chester Fritz Library without having to step outside. This is especially exciting considering how harsh the winter weather can become. Along with this, Merrifield was fitted with a brand-new main entrance that meets the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant. This new entrance also allowed for a brand-new wall of windows to be installed that shine onto every floor of the building. This allows for the once dark and dreary halls to be filled with natural lighting that helps everyone in the building feel much more energized.
Another exciting feature of the new and improved Merrifield Hall is the number of study spaces open to students. This includes the open seating areas on the top two floors near the big windows, the small libraries that act as study rooms, conference rooms, the windowsill areas in each staircase, and all of the other seating options dispersed throughout the halls. Having a variety of new bright and cozy spaces to study or sit in between classes can be really beneficial to student learning. Along with this, there is art on display all throughout the walls of the building, which makes it feel just that much more unique and inviting. All the artwork on the wall was chosen by Sarah Heitkamp who is the curator and Director of the UND Art Collection. Each piece was carefully selected to match the space and represent the learning that takes place there.
Another unique addition to the building is the CALL, which stands for the Cafe for Active Language Learning. This space was designed with the purpose of being a cafe that also functions as a classroom and cultural space where classes can be taught, collaboration can flourish, and events can be held in. The CALL looks like a normal classroom with tables and screens, but it also has a full kitchen and cafe style seating that makes it a truly unique and immersive experience for the language students who get to take classes in the space.
Of course it is exciting to hear about all the cool new and high-tech features of Merrifield Hall, but it is important to consider the history of the space and pay respect to this. When renovating the building, efforts were made to preserve some of its original features. For example, the outside of the building looks almost identical to how it was when it was first built, aside from the new main entrance. Along with this, the beloved gargoyles and original flooring and staircases were all kept and preserved as a part of the structure for people to enjoy each day.
Having a new space that also still holds so much history is exciting and allows for students and faculty to appreciate learning on a deeper level. It also allows for growth, experimentation, and collaboration to flourish, which opens endless opportunities. Merrifield Hall is back and here to stay to encourage student learning just as it has for the past century.
Nora Lee is a Dakota Student General Reporter. She can be reached at nora.lee@und.edu.