The University of Wisconsin’s new School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences building will be named Morgridge Hall after John and Tashia Morgridge, according to an announcement Thursday afternoon. The naming comes on recommendation of university leaders and was approved by the UW Board of Regents.
The Morgridges are UW alumni who have been donating to the university since the 1960s, with a recent $140 million going toward the new CDIS facility, according to the press release.
“Tashia and I owe a debt of gratitude to those who made our education possible,” John Morgridge said in the press release. “Our investment in CDIS is our way of paying it forward to ensure that future generations have the same opportunities we did.”
CDIS is also raising funds for the building through a campaign called “The Badger Effect,” bringing together 500 donors, who will each be recognized on a wall display in the new building.
The new Morgridge Hall — costing $260 million — is largest privately funded project in the history of UW. The 343,000-square-foot, seven-story space will house the CDIS departments of Computer Sciences, Statistics and the Information School, as well as the Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, the Data Science Institute, the Center for High Throughput Computing and the N+1 Institute, according to the press release.
Classrooms will be equipped with new features for collaboration, research facilities for computation and robotics, a common area and student services offices. The building is also being constructed with sustainable features to save water and energy, according to the press release. The building is set to be complete for the fall 2025 semester.
College of Letters & Science Dean Eric Wilcots said the new building will unite a campus community to spark innovation and support progress in computer and data sciences — some of the most sought-after majors at UW, according to the press release.
“We thank the Morgridges for making that vision a reality for the faculty, students and all who will benefit from the innovative and inclusive environment this facility will enable,” Wilcots said in the release.
