Inside Alumni Hall: Renovation progress update
Inside WFU recently took a sneak peek at the progress being made on the renovations of Alumni Hall. Transforming the former office building into dynamic classrooms and academic space is no small feat. Renovations began in July 2025 and are expected to conclude in time for a Summer 2026 move-in.
Inside WFU tagged along with faculty and staff from the Entrepreneurship program as they took a tour of their future academic home.
Video | Inside Alumni Hall: A first look at progress on the building’s transformation into new academic space.
Once complete, Alumni Hall will become the home of the Entrepreneurship Program and the Departments of Computer Science, Education and Philosophy. These programs were selected based on growth and because their current locations no longer meet needs for more offices, research, study and gathering spaces, updated classrooms, and teaching labs.
“As our curriculum, departments and undergraduate population have grown, our academic space has not kept pace either in square footage or with modern facilities,” said Laura Giovanelli, teaching professor, associate dean for learning spaces, and academic director of comprehensive campus space planning. “Repurposing 52,000 square feet of Alumni Hall for College of Arts and Sciences academic space improves those challenges for four academic units.”
The move is one of the first critical steps in the Near-Term Space Plan, helping decompress the Reynolda Campus core and prioritize academic space. The new facility will not only benefit the departments soon to call it home, but will also offer new meeting and gathering spaces for the broader campus community. Flexible classrooms, study areas, lounges, conference rooms and collaborative spaces are designed to support teaching, learning and connection across disciplines.
Hear what faculty and staff moving into Alumni Hall are saying.
“I’m most looking forward to building community with faculty, staff, and students in Alumni Hall in ways that have never been fully realized in Tribble Hall given the siloed effect of having departments and programs on different floors in separate wings of the building. The history of Tribble Hall tells us it was built to separate its occupants; the redesign of Alumni Hall, on the other hand, was intentional about creating shared learning and social spaces that encourage collaboration and community.”
Alan Brown, Chair of the Department of Education
“I’m looking forward to having a new library space that fits the needs of the students, staff, and faculty.”
Alicia M. LaPrelle, Education Librarian and Outreach Coordinator
Director, Curriculum Materials Center
Director, Advanced Placement Summer Institute
“I’m excited for the entire HPC Team to have a dedicated space embedded alongside faculty and staff, making us more readily accessible for questions, troubleshooting, and training than ever before.”
Adam Carlson, Assistant Director for Research Computing, Information Systems
“The design of the department’s (Computer Science’s) space in Alumni Hall will enrich the ways in which undergraduate, graduate, and faculty researchers can collaboratively work together.”
William Turkett, Associate Professor & Department Chair, Computer Science
“This is my first year at Wake Forest University, but from the moment I began working with the Center for Entrepreneurship, one thing became abundantly clear… We need more space! We cannot wait to start utilizing the new Venture Lab, which provides our students with a dedicated collaboration space in an environment that fosters the entrepreneurial spirit at the heart of our program.”
Bridget Stilwell, Academic Coordinator, Entrepreneurship
“I’m excited about having more space for our CS students to gather to study, socialize, and build community. I am especially excited about the area with the skylight.”
Pete Santago, Professor, Department of Computer Science
Faculty Director, WakerSpace
Categories: Campus Life, Entrepreneurship & Innovation