Academic Buildings

At the hub of Berea’s academic life are Draper, Frost, the Hall Science Building, and other academic buildings. Draper houses classrooms and faculty offices for six departments. This also is the location of the Learning Center, which is dedicated to serving the student community through one-on-one peer tutoring sessions with student consultants specially-trained to provide feedback that will help students improve their written and spoken communications, as well as their critical-thinking skills. Originally built in 1937, the renovated Draper includes the use of materials, design principles, and monitoring equipment that make it a model of sustainable and environmentally sound renovation while retaining the original character of the building. Frost houses four departments in the humanities and social sciences; the Hall Science Building houses the departments of natural science and accompanying laboratories, collections, a Foucault Pendulum, and a planetarium. Similarly, the Goldthwait Agricultural Building provides animal and plant laboratories essential to the study of agriculture and natural resources. Berea’s center for theatre is the Ross Jelkyl Drama Center, containing the McGaw and Musser theatres and the Theatre Laboratory studios. The Danforth Industrial Arts Building is the home of Berea’s Technology and Industrial Arts programs. Presser Hall houses the campus concert hall (Gray Auditorium) and the offices and rehearsal facilities of the Music Department. The Rogers Memorial Art Building, connected to the Dimitrie Berea Gallery (2003), and the Traylor Building (1977) all provide art galleries that display visiting exhibits and the College’s own fine arts collection, as well as classrooms, Art Department faculty offices, and studios. The Education Studies Department is housed in Knapp Hall. The Department of Child and Family Studies resides in the Emery Building, which dates back to 1924 and reopened and reopens in Fall 2009 after a year of extensive renovations, including that included new classroom and laboratory facilities. The Harrison-McLain Home Management House serves as a laboratory facility for family resource management. Nursing students and faculty are located in the Hafer-Gibson Nursing Building. Most College-wide events take place in Phelps Stokes Chapel, built by students between 1904 and 1906.