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Bowman Hall renovation to create new learning classrooms at Bridgewater College 

Bowman Hall exterior
Photo courtesy Bridgewater College

An $8.5 million renovation will reshape one of Bridgewater College’s academic buildings creating state-of-the-art classrooms and learning spaces.

The Bowman Hall renovation, starting at the end of this semester, will transform every classroom, office space and teaching lab. Modern classrooms will house flexible furnishings and upgraded technology to support a full range of teaching styles and engaged learning.

Collaborative work will be facilitated with group study spaces and advising suites like the modern learning spaces in the Forrer Learning Commons. Renovated teaching labs will strengthen the undergraduate research experience.

“We are a community that is serious about offering academic spaces that are flexible enough to give students a place to explore and extend their education in new ways. Classrooms in buildings across campus have been reimagined to layer together technology and physical design to create spaces that can transform with trends in higher education and support our students in the ways they learn best,” said Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer Kristy Kane Rhea. “We continually assess space and technology needs campus-wide and funnel resources into providing spaces for our faculty to create the optimal learning environment for our students.”

Bowman Hall opened its doors in 1953 and has welcomed thousands of students and faculty members in its 70 years. Home to seven undergraduate programs (business administration, digital media arts, economics, English, professional writing, psychology and sociology) and three graduate programs (master of science in human resource management, master of science in psychology – mental health professions and master of arts in digital media strategy), nearly every student takes at least one class in Bowman Hall during their time at Bridgewater.

The renovation will be completed in phases, starting on the ground level and first floor this summer, and finishing with the second and third floors in the summer of 2024. Target completion date for the project is fall 2024.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for nearly 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.