University Unveils Commons Designed for Humanities Education, Engagement

A building at the heart of The University of Scranton's campus has a new addition.

The Gaudenzi Family Humanities Commons were officially dedicated Nov. 10 on the third floor of St. Thomas Hall. The new humanities hub includes three full-size classrooms and a lounge where students, faculty, staff and administrators gathered for the dedication.

According to Carolyn Barry, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the project and its mission - to have an educational and social gathering place for the humanities - had been dreamt about for years. Prior to the creation of the Gaudenzi Family Humanities Commons, the space, which formerly housed the registrar's office, had been vacant for about a decade.

"In its inaugural semester, students are in classes here from digital history, to the philosophy of love, to Ignatian Reflection and Practice, to Classics of Western Literature," Dr. Barry said.

A television screen in the hallway educates passersby about the wide variety of upcoming Humanities-themed events, Dr. Barry continued, and students use the lounge as a study space for coursework or even to create art for submission for publication.

"This dedicated space in the center of campus embodies our institutional commitment to the essential role of humanities in our undergraduate students' education here at The University of Scranton," Dr. Barry said.

Dr. Barry noted that the project was made possible through Ethics Across the Curriculum funding provided by the Montrone family. She highlighted the collaborative effort behind the Gaudenzi Family Humanities Commons, thanking numerous faculty and staff members, project partners and members of the humanities planning committee whose work helped bring the space to life. She also recognized the contributors who curated and installed framed artwork throughout the Commons, including photographs and illustrations created by current students and alumni and published in Esprit, the University's literary magazine.

Following Dr. Barry's remarks, Christina Andreopoulos '28, an English and secondary education double major from Haworth, New Jersey, read an original poem, titled "For My Sister Melanie." Andreopoulos is an award-winning poet, having earned the University's Berrier Prose and Berrier Poetry Awards.

Rev. Bret Stockdale, S.J., University chaplain, concluded the event by formally blessing the space.

"We wish all of our students and faculty well as they progress toward the end of the semester," Dr. Barry said, "that their class conversations and forthcoming papers all provide them an opportunity in this space to deepen their understanding of the human spirit."