Built in 1926 by Mr. and Mrs. E. Brinton Wright, the house at was donated to the University by Mrs. Wright in 1966. The building has served as temporary administrative office space, a women's residence hall and a student infirmary during renovation of other campus buildings. From 1971 until 2009, it was the home of UD's Blue and Gold Club.
A Graduate Welcome Center is being
created in the 44 Kent Way Building. The
Graduate Welcome Center will house the
Office of Graduate and Professional
Education's Graduate StUDent Connect
Program.
Beginning graduate studies can be a
stressful transition. The Connect Program
addresses some of the universal issues new
graduate students face by putting them in
touch with other graduate students at UD
and building a greater sense of community
among graduate students on campus.
Graduate Ambassadors are the
cornerstone of the Connect Program. These
returning students volunteer their time for
the program, and connect throughout the
year with a small cluster of new students.
They address problems and questions, plan
social activities, and participate in Graduate
Office sponsored events.
"The new center will provide a great
anchor for the Connect program as well as
offering a welcoming place for graduate
students to congregate," said Mary Martin,
assistant provost for Graduate and Professional
Education. "We feel this will truly enhance the
quality of the graduate experience at UD."
Emily Bonistall, past president of UD's Graduate Student Government and a doctoral
student in sociology agreed. "In my experience
as president of Graduate Student Government,
I saw firsthand how beneficial a graduate
student center would be for our campus
community," said Bonistall. "our graduate
students haven't had a particular place to
congregate, meet other students, have
events, hold meetings, study, etc. With the
Welcome Center, they'll be able to do all of
those things in a place specifically intended
for graduate students."
The building will provide a home for UD's
Graduate Student Government. Led by a six
member executive board and a senate
comprised of graduate student representatives
for each graduate level academic program, the
Graduate Student Government advocates for
the graduate student community.
A new Graduate and Faculty Lounge will also
find a home at 44 Kent Way. The Lounge will
offer a spot for graduate students and their
professors to meet and to celebrate milestones
like passing qualifying exams and successful
dissertation defenses.
"Building community among graduate
students definitely enriches the quality of their
graduate school experience, commented Vice
Provost for Graduate and Professional Education
Jim Richards. "A space to relax and enjoy
collegial conversations is a great enhancement
to our facilities. We hope it will be put to use by
generations of students to come."
UD's international initiatives will also find a
consolidated home at 44 Kent Way. Long located
in separate buildings across campus, the
renovation allows the Institute for Global Studies
and the Office for International Students and
Scholars to have offices in the same building.
"We are extremely excited to move to this new
location, which we feel will provide us with a
great professional environment where we can
carry out our role of advising and advocating
for UD's international students, scholars and
employees," said Ravi Ammigan, director, Office
for International Students and Scholars. "Our
hope is that this space will not only become a
hub for international students and scholars but
also engage the larger UD community through
opportunities for cross-cultural interactions
and international programming."
