September 17, 2024 — The Marist community gathered Friday for the ceremonial ribbon-cutting of the new Dyson Center, marking the end of a two-year construction project that saw the facility nearly entirely demolished and rebuilt at twice the size. The new building is a true destination for the entire Marist campus community, featuring modern, unique learning and collaboration spaces that give all students a reason to call the facility home.

Attendees at the Dyson Center ribbon-cutting event. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist College.

The event drew hundreds of students, faculty, alumni, and special guests, who gathered in front of the state-of-the-art building to celebrate the College’s achievement and the Dyson Center’s significance for the Red Fox community.

“Marist’s vision is to improve the world through education, and this building, and more importantly the teaching and learning that will occur in it, will help us do just that,” said President Weinman. “Students in our Schools of Management and Social Behavioral Sciences will learn in classrooms and labs that emphasize teamwork, collaboration, and experiential learning.”

President Weinman speaks at the Dyson Center ribbon-cutting event. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist College.

The Dyson Center opened its doors for the start of classes in late August and is a dynamic hub of innovation and learning that sets the tone for a bright future ahead for the College.

This project was supported by a lead gift from the Dyson Foundation. Robert Dyson, The Foundation’s Chairman and a member of the Marist Board of Trustees, shared his excitement about the building’s potential to inspire generations of students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

“It’s a tool for this College to start amplifying the academic offerings we have here and everywhere else,” said Dyson. “I’ve heard everyone being so enthusiastic, even though it’s only been a couple of weeks since the building opened, about what it has done for the people working and studying here. Now, that’s the base, and we’ve got to just keep going.”

Robert Dyson speaks at the Dyson Center ribbon-cutting event. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist College.

Additional donors named spaces in the new facility ranging from faculty offices, classrooms, and a premier lecture hall, to the new mock courtroom and teaching methods lab.

Other speakers at the event were Jerome Pickett '98, a member of the Marist Board of Trustees, Tim Keneally '69, a member of the School of Management Advisory Board, School of Management Dean Will Lamb, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences Dean Deborah Gatins, and Student Government Association President Sheridan Speight '25.

"Experiential learning spaces such as the Investment Center, Mock Courtroom, and Teaching Methods Area add that signature Marist hands-on aspect to the classroom experience," said Sheridan. "The open spaces and natural light provides for ideal collaboration spots, and classrooms have beautiful campus views."

In addition, the soon-to-come Saxbys student-run cafe offers academic, professional, and social experiences to Red Foxes from all disciplines.

Attendees inside the Dyson Center after the ribbon-cutting event. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist College.

After the ribbon was cut, attendees were invited to take self-guided tours of the new building, experiencing firsthand the cutting-edge features that make this facility a game changer for students in both the School of Management and the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

One of the exciting new spaces in the Dyson Center is the Investment Center, a Wall Street-style trading floor with Bloomberg terminals that provide experiential learning opportunities for finance students. Additionally, the new Marketing Lab is a hub of innovation, offering hands-on access to industry-standard software and tools.

“This state-of-the-art building will provide all who work in it with the best tools, flexible spaces, and the most up-to-date technology,” said Dr. Will Lamb, Dean of the School of Management. “Three examples for the School of Management include the new home for the Investment Center, the new Idea Lab, and the new Marketing Lab. These spaces will elevate the way we teach and provide students with workspaces that enable them to apply their knowledge every day.”

The School of Social and Behavioral Sciences features modern facilities of its own, including dedicated labs for cognitive and biological research, as well as a mock courtroom for criminal justice students to practice advocacy and casework.

“The excitement in the air among the students, faculty, and staff is palpable,” said Dr. Gatins. “A mock courtroom, three distinct state-of-the-art psychology labs, a teaching methods lab that rivals any ordinary STEM classroom I have ever seen—we have arrived!”

Attendees gather inside the Dyson Center. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist College.

The Dyson Center is also home to massive amounts of collaboration spaces, including the atrium on the ground floor, where students from all ends of the College can work and relax. There is also the completely student-run cafe, Saxbys, which is set to open for business on September 24. 

The Center for Career Services can now also be found there, using its new facilities to expand its offerings of career fairs, networking events, and employer visits.

The Dyson Center originally opened in 1990. The expansion and renovation were designed by the internationally recognized firm Annum Architects.