Bringing the World to Williams Hall

From the time of pocket watches to the age of cell phones, Williams Hall has been serving Lehigh students in the sciences and engineering. After renovations are completed in 2015, the historical building will have fresh purpose as a hub of international activity.

Thanks to a $5 million gift from Herb Roemmele ’53 and generous leadership gifts from Sharon and James Maida ’85 ’17P and an anonymous donor, the redesign will include community areas to foster student and faculty collaboration. The Herbert A. Roemmele ’53 Global Commons will be a two-story atrium with a main floor and mezzanine. Video feeds will live stream news stories from around the world.

The departments of modern languages and literatures, religion studies, and sociology and anthropology and the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs will move into the building.  To ensure all students are exposed to global life at Lehigh, most student services and programs will be located there.

Attention also is being given to the building’s exterior to draw students from upper and lower campus. For more information, visit alum.lu/williamshall or call 610-758-2837.

Story by Dawn Thren