A sign to climb: Celebrating the opening of UW’s Morgridge Hall

Morgridge Hall has decades ahead to foster the learning and research that will help Wisconsin industries flourish in a high-tech future. But even before Friday's ribbon-cutting ceremony drew a crowd of hundreds to officially open Morgridge Hall, it was clear that the University of Wisconsin-Madison's newest building is a people magnet.

Humming with activity during its first month open to the UW-Madison community, the 343,000-square-foot building at 1205 University Ave. is already a hub for central campus. Visitors passing through the spacious central atrium or waiting for a cup of coffee are typically also looking up, marveling at plants climbing high up the walls into upper floors and the undulating ribbon of the staircase.

Take it as a sign to climb, literally and figuratively, said Tashia Morgridge - even though all those steps may initially look daunting. Tashia joined her husband, fellow member of the UW Class of 1955 and former Cisco Systems chairman and CEO John Morgridge, as lead donors in supporting the construction of the building, which was built entirely with donor funds.

Each floor in the building, which brings together for the first time the many academic units of the School of Computer, Data and Information Sciences, represents new opportunities, new insights and new friends and collaborators, according to Tashia Morgridge.

"When you look down on the steps you climbed, you'll have a feeling of accomplishment, of fulfillment, of knowing you reached a goal," she said. "By the time you get all the way up there, just think who you'll be."

Putting colleagues together in one building featuring modern classrooms, research facilities and collaborative spaces is already paying dividends, according to Remzi Arpaci-Dusseau, director of CDIS and professor of computer sciences. The pieces of the school recently occupied three different addresses. Now, the students and faculty and research scientists walk the same halls.

"We're all colliding together all the time," he said. "It's fantastic. It's energetic, and it will spark new ideas."

And it will widen a pipeline of tech-ready graduates with much better access to mentorship and collaborative experiences under one, soaring roof. Up until this academic year, many past computer science students may have earned a degree without ever sitting down for class in the Computer Sciences Building, according to Arpaci-Dusseau.

"We fill this building with thousands of students every hour, coming through here learning," he said.

"With flexible, collaborative learning and research spaces and inspiring design features, this new building will serve the fast-growing student population of UW-Madison well," added Governer Tony Evers, who noted things have come a long way since he was punching holes in cards during his intro computer science class. "This new building provides a high-quality learning space for Wisconsin's future workforce."

It's also home to that energy, said UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin, that is both unique to the booming CDIS disciplines on campus and familiar to the university.

"There's a certain electricity in the air today. It's because this building is something of a public promise for the tools shaping tomorrow," Mnookin said. "AI, data and computation will continue to develop, and then they'll be used the Badger Way, with bravery, integrity, humility, creativity, excellence and a commitment to the public good."