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1 Hayden Drive is about to get some major upgrades, as Virginia State University is preparing to open the Alfred W. Harris Academic Commons, a major campus expansion. The state-of-the-art, multifunctional building will soon house the College of Education and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
More than just a classroom building, the new academic commons structure is replacing the former campus gymnasium and Harris Hall, which were demolished. A fully equipped theater, an art gallery, a swimming pool, and a gymnasium will all be included in the new building, demonstrating VSU's dedication to the holistic development of its students both within and outside of the classroom. It is expected to be the largest building on campus, spanning over 174,000 square feet.
Dr. Makola Abdullah, the university president, highlighted how the new building will help the students on campus grow.
“The number one thing that we love to see is students learning,” Abdullah said. “We love to see students chasing their dreams and becoming a better version of themselves so they can go out in the community and make a difference. And we believe VSU—and this building—is going to help them do that.”
The building is named after Alfred W. Harris, a 19th-century Virginia legislator who founded Virginia State in 1882. Virginia State is the only land-grant HBCU in the state of Virginia.
It is anticipated that faculty and staff will move into the building in August, and classes will start there in the spring term. In order to accommodate members of the Board of Visitors who rotate off on July 1, VSU stated it decided to hold the ribbon-cutting now rather than closer to the start of the academic year. The Alfred W. Harris Academic Commons is set to emerge as a vital component of Virginia State’s academic and cultural life.
