For the first time in more than 50 years, the humanities and qualitative sciences will hold classes in a new building. In September, the College of Letters & Science (L&S) will open Irving & Dorothy Levy Hall to students. The building was made possible by philanthropic support, including a generous lead gift of $20 million from Jeff Levy ’72 and Marv Levy ’68, JD’71, and with the work of UW–Madison advocates and state funding.
L&S is UW–Madison’s largest college, and nearly two-thirds of all undergraduate credit hours are taught by L&S faculty. Because of this, Irving & Dorothy Levy Hall is a space designed to inspire collaboration across disciplines and foster innovation for many students.
“We estimate that at some point during their time at UW–Madison, every student in the college will take a class or attend an event in Levy Hall,” says interim dean of L&S Kristin Eschenfelder. “It’s a building that’s intentionally designed to bring students together and teach them the value of working collaboratively to advance our understanding of the human condition.”
Irving and Dorothy Levy Hall will be home to eight humanities and social science departments, programs, and centers and will provide collaborative space for students and faculty. The new building includes 13 classrooms, many departmental offices, and welcoming student gathering spaces.
The building, Eschenfelder says, will be a place for students to navigate new ideas and find success in our rapidly changing world. Irving and Dorothy Levy Hall will provide more opportunities for students to develop the capacity to think critically and maintain a sense of curiosity, even when faced with uncertainty.
Together, university advocates and supporters have created a legacy of excellence and built a transformative new home for L&S. “Irving & Dorothy Levy Hall would not have been possible without the generosity of Marv and Jeff Levy and the state of Wisconsin but also the enduring support of our motivated and caring Badger and L&S alumni,” Eschenfelder says. “Those supporters should know that they’ve done much more than just fulfill the need for a beautiful new academic building; they’ve helped shape the minds and trajectories of future generations of Badgers. We’re humbled by and grateful for that support.”
