President Steve Stoute welcomes students to campus for the 2025-26 academic year
Buffalo, NY - One might expect campus to be quiet over the summer, with students gone and faculty away. That wasn’t the case in summer 2025. Instead, construction crews were converting spaces, contractors renovating classrooms and academic departments moving to new offices across campus.
With the first day of classes now in the books, it’s time to see what all the noise was about.
The Golisano Center for Student Success Takes Shape
A major gift and major renovation will centralize academic, career and wellness services
Just days after May’s commencement ceremonies, construction crews began work on the future home of the Golisano Center for Student Success, located on the 2nd floor of the Andrew L. Bouwhuis, SJ, Library. The renovation encompasses 30,000 square feet, “with natural lighting and sun exposure from the north, south and west, creating a bright and welcoming environment for students,” says Facilities Director Joe Snodgrass. Once open, it will house collaborative work areas and dedicated zones for academic and career support, including:
- Academic Achievement
- Academic Mentoring
- Career Development
- The Writing Center
- Student Accessibility Services
- Canisius Cares
Canisius announced in August that it would name the center for Rochester philanthropist B. Thomas Golisano, whose transformational $5 million gift in fall 2024 is supporting construction and future operations of the student success center.
The Golisano Center is scheduled for completion in spring 2026.
Library Renovations Prompt Some Relocations
Writing Center temporarily relocated; MakerSpace finds permanent home
While construction progresses on the Golisano Center, the Writing Center and MakerSpace Lab have moved to ensure uninterrupted service to students.
The Writing Center moved from its location on the first floor to the lower level of the library, which now serves as the designated quiet floor. This arrangement provides students with continued writing support in a peaceful study environment until the Writing Center makes its permanent home in the Golisano Center.
The MakerSpace Lab has permanently relocated to Old Main 404, where it will continue to offer student access to collaborative project space and creative tools.
Science Hall Welcomes New Programs and Perks
From ABEC labs to a homegrown cafe, this academic hub is about to get a lot busier
Science Hall became the focal point of this summer’s biggest campus changes, with several departments moving locations and a new student-facing business setting up shop.
The Animal Behavior, Ecology and Conservation (ABEC) program officially moved in this month. Faculty relocated from the Health Science Building into their new offices in Suite 1016, previously occupied by the Institute for Autism Research (IAR) faculty. (The IAR retains its lab space on the first floor of Science Hall.)
To meet ABEC’s research and teaching needs, the university repurposed a series of lab rooms adjacent to the Wendt Lab, as well as eight former physics labs on the lower level. These spaces, originally built in 2012 to accommodate future science expansion, now serve as state-of-the-art facilities for ABEC students and faculty - and their living research specimens.
“We are thrilled to be more visible and accessible to the students,” says Sue Margulis, PhD, professor and co-chair of ABEC. “Our move to Science Hall puts us in proximity to more modern classrooms and creates opportunities for greater student interaction and engagement.”
Margulis explains that research students on different teams will now have more chances to interact and learn from one another. She notes that ABEC is also setting up teaching spaces “that will enhance classroom collaboration.”
In response to the increased foot traffic in Science Hall, Canisius welcomes Unapologetic Coffee, a Black, women-owned coffee company founded by alumnae Alicia Officer ‘10, MS ‘11 and Alisa Officer ‘10, MS ‘11. The new café will occupy the space once operated by Starbucks.
Unapologetic Coffee specializes in organic, sustainably roasted coffee and has grown from a small local startup to a thriving Buffalo brand. Alicia and Alisa’s return to Canisius as entrepreneurs marks a meaningful full-circle moment for the twin sisters.
“Having spent so much time in and around campus, we knew there was a need and a want for this kind of coffee and experience,” says Alicia. “We wanted to create a café that feels like home, where you’re welcome to stay and study. The space is intentionally designed with comfortable furniture and silent disco headphones to borrow and stay a while.”
“We want to give back to the community that took care of us,” adds Alisa. “It’s on us to take care of the next generation. We see it as paying off an investment that the school and our neighborhood made in us.”
Completing the Science Hall transformation, the Kinesiology Department arrived from the Koessler Athletic Center. The university converted underutilized space on the lower level into updated lab and classroom areas for kinesiology instruction and research.
Throughout this wave of summer projects, Facilities Director Joe Snodgrass played a key role in managing timelines and transitions.
“His coordination efforts were instrumental in ensuring that each move happened on time and with minimal disruption to faculty,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs Bridget Niland, JD, PhD. “I am grateful for his thoughtful approach to every aspect of these projects.”
Modernizing Old Main
Hyflex classrooms bring 21st century learning to Canisius’ primary academic building
Across campus, Canisius completed work on the first phase of modernizing Old Main.
Crews relocated and renovated the first floor administrative suites previously occupied by Student Affairs, Business and Finance and Human Resources into “hyflex” classrooms designed for collaborative, technology-enabled learning. The new spaces now feature mobile furniture, interactive whiteboards, advanced audiovisual systems, and refreshed ceilings, lighting and carpeting. (The administrative offices now operate out of Bagen Hall.)
The Old Main project marks the beginning of a multiphase plan to upgrade approximately 45,000 square feet of space in the building, which hasn’t had a facelift since the 1990s.
"Students expect from their educational experience a technology-enabled one that is digital, engaging and personal, and so we are creating spaces that deliver that for our students while allowing our faculty to think critically about how they deliver a Canisius education," said President Steve Stoute. “The new classrooms are learning labs with more technology - they’re less like lecture halls and more like environments where students are co-creating knowledge.”
Spaces that Inspire Wellness and Creativity
Two reimagined spaces support holistic student development
A new wellness-focused studio opened on the second floor of Palisano Pavilion, transforming the former Iggy’s dining area into a flexible space for dance, aerobic exercise and meditation. The redevelopment comes in response to student feedback requesting more private and versatile wellness spaces.
The studio features new flooring, lighting, paint and a sound system. With sweeping views of the Quad, the space also offers a serene environment for students to engage in movement and mindfulness.
In another significant change, the Vogt Family Student Art Gallery established its new home on the second floor of the Richard E. Winter ‘42 Student Center, after moving from its original location on the fourth floor of Lyons Hall. The reconfigured gallery now occupies two former club rooms designed specifically for student exhibitions.
Enhanced lighting, expanded wall space and modern display capabilities enable student artists to appropriately showcase their work. The distinctive stained glass wall - a feature from the original Lyons Hall gallery - was carefully preserved and integrated into the new space.
Separately, the Fine Arts Studio secured permanent space in Horan O’Donnell 201. This transition provides students with updated studio space for their creative work.
Athletics Expands with New Programs and Facilities
Upgraded spaces support training and competition
While academic and creative spaces were being moved and modernized, the Koessler Athletic Center also saw changes.
The new acrobatics and tumbling program settled into the second-floor workout area, once used by the cross country and rowing teams. To accommodate this change, Canisius converted three former classrooms (G19-21) on the ground level into dedicated workout spaces for cross country and rowing. These renovated areas offer upgraded environments for training and team development.
The project also included a new locker room for the acrobatics and tumbling team on the ground level. This space, which was part of the Kinesiology Department, now includes new lockers, lighting and other program-specific enhancements.
Many of these athletic changes were possible because kinesiology moved to Science Hall (see above) and physical education relocated to the 7th floor of Churchill Tower.
Bagen Hall Gets a Welcome Update
Interior and exterior improvements enhance the experience for students and guests alike
The academic and athletic areas weren’t the only spaces getting attention this summer. Bagen Hall even received a ‘glow up.’
Crews replaced the outdated and overgrown landscaping in front of the university’s administrative building with new beds that complement the entrance, as well as the Greatest Generation Memorial. Inside, fresh paint, modern lighting and new furniture were added to create a more comfortable and welcoming environment for students and guests alike.
Looking Ahead
It’s more than a makeover; it’s a commitment to student success
This summer’s facility improvements represent much more than cosmetic updates - they are investments in the university’s future. Every renovation, relocation and new space was designed with students’ academic, personal and professional growth in mind.
“As Canisius University continues to evolve, these spaces will help shape the next generation of leaders, thinkers and innovators,” President Stoute concluded.
