St. Scholastica has named its wellness building the Elizabeth Murphy Burns and Richard Burns Wellness Commons. It was officially dedicated on Friday, Oct. 5, 2007.

Fall 2007 Times Magazine

The College dedicated Burns Wellness Commons in a campus ceremony on Oct. 5.

The Burnses, of Duluth, were major donors to the building's construction, and Elizabeth is a former Trustee.

"We want to honor the vision and leadership of Richard and Elizabeth, who have helped us make this improvement to campus life," said St. Scholastica President Larry Goodwin.

"It's appropriate to unify this complex, which fulfills so many needs on campus, under one name."

St. Scholastica officials also publicly announced a major expansion of Burns Wellness Commons, which currently includes a field house and the Reif gymnasium. The expansion will include new classrooms and athletics space.

“We’re really excited about this project because of what it adds to the whole student experience,” said Elizabeth Burns. “This building already helps students live a lifestyle of wellness, but on top of that, now we’ll have the integration of the academic classrooms and the athletic facilities. It will help attract more of the finest students and is a good business decision. This really takes the St. Scholastica experience to the next level.”

Richard Burns noted that his wife’s loyalty to St. Scholastica inspired their involvement.

“The College of St. Scholastica has meant so much to Liz going all the way back to her days as a student at Stanbrook (Hall, formerly a companion high school on the St. Scholastica campus). We're just pleased we are in a position to help, and that the College wants to honor us in this way.”

Goodwin said Burns Wellness Commons has already transformed the campus experience.

“So much has happened since we first envisioned this building as a cornerstone of the Imagine Tomorrow campaign back in 2000,” Goodwin said. “Intramural participation is six times higher than before it existed. We have more varsity sports and we host intercollegiate athletics events we couldn’t before, including track meets and tennis meets.”

Since the building opened in 2004, its potential has only grown.

“We have had some tremendous opportunities open up,” Goodwin said. “Our decision to begin a varsity football program is an enrollment management initiative that will bring us 90 male students who wouldn’t otherwise have considered us. That requires additional training room and locker room space, among other facilities upgrades.”

The football program begins competition in autumn 2008.

Functionally, the addition on the east side of the building will be divided, half for academics and half for athletics. The project will include a 120-seat amphitheater classroom, two 50-seat classrooms, and faculty offices. It will also feature expanded locker rooms and weight rooms for the new football program, as well as renovated locker rooms for all student athletes and for general use, and new coaches’ offices.

The College’s Exercise Physiology Department will move into the new space. A proposed master’s program in athletic training will be housed there as well. Moving Exercise Physiology will allow the College to renovate first floor north of the Science building, taking off some of the pressure for classroom space that has resulted from enrollment growth.

Beth Domholdt, vice president for academic affairs, noted that the expansion also has a social benefit that’s subtle but important.

“In effect, we’re creating a third academic hub on campus,” she noted, to complement Tower Hall and the Science building. “This should help dissolve some of the ‘Tower vs. Science’ polarity that has existed between some students.”

Clearly, Burns Wellness Commons’ prime time is at hand.

“This building is evolving to an even more important role for the College,”: Goodwin said. “It’s now becoming an academic center as well as a recreation arena. It’s clear to us that, in its new comprehensive role, it needs a new comprehensive identity as well.” Read the complete 2007 Fall Times magazine.

Expansion Plans

	The expansion of the Burns Wellness Commons will occur on the east face of the building in the foreground of the photo to the left. The addition will feature an academic amphitheater, classrooms, offices and expanded athletic facilities for the football team.

Current view of Burns Wellness Commons' east side.	Architect's rendering of the expansion.

View conceptual floor plans (PDF files) of the Burns Wellness Commons Addition:

• Upper Level
• Lower Level