A new building at Siena College isn’t officially open until it is blessed by Franciscan friars.
The campus community gathered in the main lobby of Nobel Hall on January 24 for an opening ceremony, three days after students and faculty had begun using the building for the first day of spring semester classes.
Before a formal blessing by Fr. Larry Anderson, O.F.M., Br. Jimmy Kernan, O.F.M., lecturer in physics and assistant director the College’s Laudato Sí Center, noted the spiritual relevance of scientific research, particularly in 2025 when the Franciscan order celebrates the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of Creation.
“St. Francis understood that we are deeply connected to the universe around us, and that we are in relationship to it,” said Br. Jimmy. “These are the ideas scientists confirm for us today. While Francis never found himself in a state-of-the-art laboratory like we have here now, he was in tune to something very real about the natural world.
“It is wonderful that we are able to continue to support one of the longest Franciscan traditions – science and education – here at Siena with such a great new facility to do it in.”
The 50,000-square foot-building features all-new specialized laboratories, classrooms, active learning spaces and more. Over 70 percent of students will have the opportunity to learn in the building during their time at Siena.
President Chuck Seifert, Ph.D. thanked the Siena community for their patience and cooperation during the months-long construction process.
“This building is not just state of the art in the aesthetic sense of the word, but because it develops and creates learning spaces for our students and for our faculty, and for the interaction between the two,” he said. “That is critically important as we move forward as an institution.”
Still in her first year as dean of the School of Science, Anne McCarthy, Ph.D. said she has been receiving a “crash course” on everything needed to create a brand new, top-notch space for science – from generator switch gear to fish tanks to high fidelity simulation mannequins – as the building and its scientific equipment came together as Nobel Hall.
“We’re lucky to have excellent faculty who are fantastic scientists but who are also here at Siena because they’re passionate about creating high-quality, personalized learning experiences,” said McCarthy. “It’s delightful for me that every time I walk through this building, I get to see the excitement of our faculty and also learn something more about the academic work that’s being done in the School of Science.”
