• November 28, 2018

Norwich University Dedicates Mack Hall

Norwich University Mack Hall - Cyber War Room

Norwich University Dedicates Mack Hall

Norwich University Dedicates Mack Hall 1024 682 Vantage Technology Consulting Group

Norwich University recently dedicated Mack Hall, their newest academic building designed to tie together the campus and to provide an environment to teach students the skills they need for the 21st Century. Founded in 1819 and located in the Green Mountains of northern Vermont, Norwich University is the oldest private military college in the United States. With approximately 3,400 students, Norwich is one of the country’s six senior military colleges and is recognized as the birthplace of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).

Norwich University Mack Hall - Entrance Lounge

Norwich University Mack Hall Entrance – Photo Credit: Will Horne

Mixing Tradition with Innovation

The spaces in the new Mack Hall represent a blend of classroom and collaboration spaces and mix tradition with innovation.  Classrooms include spaces dedicated to traditional learning, active learning, case studies and computer labs. Small group learning spaces include group study rooms, open lounges, seminar rooms, meeting rooms plus a Writing Center and Language Resource Center.

Norwich University Mack Hall - Collaboration Lounge

Norwich University Mack Hall Collaboration Space – Photo Credit: Will Horne

More than a new building, Mack Hall is the culmination of a 10-year ongoing relationship between Vantage and Norwich University. In addition to Mack Hall, we have worked with Norwich to transform the institution into a place of innovation and have changed the mindset around how students will learn the necessary skills for the 21st Century.

Mack Hall is the Centerpiece of Forging the Future Capital Campaign

Mack Hall is a 58,000 square foot, four-story learning center with interactive classrooms, case-study spaces, pocket lounges, a high-tech, cyber-security War Room, a digital forensics lab, a cybersecurity research lab and an auditorium and performing arts center to host plays and musical events. As well as hosting symposiums and lectures, panel discussions and collaborative interaction. Mack Hall’s goal is to encourage the exchange of ideas across disciplines, from liberal arts to information assurance, to business management, cybersecurity and criminal justice and many more.

“Mack Hall will encourage the exchange of ideas across the diverse disciplines, from liberal arts to information assurance, to business management and criminal justice studies, now and in the future.”

Alan F. De Forest, chairman of the university’s board of trustees

Mack Hall is named for Robert and Tammie Mack who were the lead donors for the university’s bicentennial capital campaign. Robert Mack was a 1964 graduate of Norwich and joined the US Army for several years before wrapping up his career as the CEO of a health management organization in southern California.

Norwich University Mack Hall - Bob and Tammy Mack at Dedication Ceremony

Bob and Tammy Mack smile as the audience applauds during the dedication ceremony for the new Mack Hall at Norwich University. (Jeb Wallace-Brodeur / Norwich University Staff Photo)

Cybersecurity Education Will Benefit from Interactive Classrooms

Norwich is on the cutting edge of cybersecurity and information assurance educational programs and has partnered with the United States Army Reserves (USAR) to develop cyber-education curricula that align with federal standards and cybersecurity needs.

“Today’s teaching/learning styles require reliable and flexible technology, interactive classrooms and dedicated space for students and faculty interaction. These prestigious, innovative programs require advanced technology to support cyber warfare, digital forensics, etc. study and hands-on learning.”

David Magida, chief administrative officer at Norwich

The specialty rooms in Mack Hall that will contribute to maintaining Norwich’s lead in cybersecurity education include:

Cybersecurity War Room

The Cybersecurity War Room is a $1.6 million state-of-the-art classroom that seats 24 students in a tiered horseshoe arrangement and will be used to host cyber war games and teach students how to perform penetration tests. It features a wall of 12 video monitors that can be combined to display information on a single screen or across multiple screens.

Norwich University Mack Hall - Cyber War Room

Norwich University Mack Hall – Cyber War Room, Photo Credit: Will Horne

Digital Forensics Lab

The Digital Forensics lab also seats 24 and contains state-of-the-art equipment to forensically analyze cellular devices, computers, and emerging technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT).

Cyber Research Lab

Research work conducted in the Cyber Research Lab will be submitted to leading Cyber conferences around the world giving students an opportunity to present their research internationally.

For Mack Hall, we worked with Rick Jones and the teams at Jones Architects and Freeman French Freeman to develop the technology infrastructure design and system design and worked on programming and RFP development. One of the key goals of the project was to upgrade the existing technology and we were responsible for all the Audiovisual, IT Infrastructure, Paging, Security, Videoconferencing and Wireless technologies.

Over the last decade, we have also worked on the Student Center and Kreitzberg Library, and have partnered with campus leadership to accelerate IT investments across the university and transform the campus into a center of innovation. We are currently working on the infrastructure and systems design for the renovations of Web, Dewey and Ainsworth Halls which are slated to be completed in 2019.

As part of the bicentennial celebration and to commemorate the grand opening of Mack Hall, Vermont artist Sabra Field created this mural that is installed in the foyer of Mack Hall. A print of the mural was given to Vantage in recognition of our 15 years of transformative technology design and strategy consulting work with the University, and now hangs in the Vantage Boston office.

Norwich University Mack Hall - Sabra Field

Vermont Artist Sabra Hall with University President Richard Schneider

Congratulations again to Norwich University on the grand opening of Mack Hall and for creating a vision with flexible classrooms and technology for educating students in the 21st Century.