As the new school year starts and students return to campus, they may notice some changes that happened to campus over the summer. One significant change in particular is the opening of the brand new Robin Hall, part of the Odegard complex on the west side of campus, across 42nd Avenue. Costing the University and the state of North Dakota $25 million, the building was “topped off” last October and formally opened July 26, dedicated to Mary E. Bazar and Si Roben, the married couple in charge of aircraft antenna manufacturer Sensor Systems.

The 66,000 square foot building has four floors and acts as the new home for UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) equipment, staff offices and classrooms. Walking through the front door, the front atrium of the building acts as a common study area for students, similar to the workplaces in the Memorial Union basement. Behind them, a set of stairs lead up to the second floor, with TV screens along the wall forming a waving American flag. Behind the stairs there is an exhibit that shows some of the aviation pioneers that helped make UND Aviation what it is today, with a narration describe each smiling face. Across from them in Room 121 sits a familiar sight to aerospace students: the AeroStop store.

“The other was nice,” said manager Mary Jane Hennemann who, along with Jeni Stroh, ran the store at its second-floor Ryan Hall location for the previous 17 years. “This is just a new presentation for the store. It’s the same store, just a new setting.”

While it may seem a little cramped at first glance, the new AeroStop is actually a little bigger than the previous in terms of square footage, as well as being better lit and painted brighter. The new store also features an aircraft wall mural by a German artist and, more appealing to students, a Tim Horton’s coffee station.

When asked about the opportunity to move to the new building, Hennemann simply said, “I think it’s a privilege.”

Robin Hall is connected to Ryan Hall via the Skalicky skywalk. Students can park outside the building, but a permit is required. The closest campus shuttle stop is at the Odegard building, where all four daily bus routes and the night route stop. For aviation students, the airport shuttle still stops at Ryan Hall after Odegard, before continuing on to the airport.

Connor Johnson is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected]