USU Prepares to Break Ground on New Facility for Languages

LOGAN — Utah State University will soon host a groundbreaking ceremony for a new building dedicated to language programs.

On March 22, 2023, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHaSS) invites students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends to celebrate the Mehdi Heravi Global Teaching and Learning Center as college and university administration gather with donors and state officials to break ground on this new facility for USU students and faculty.

The new building will house the Department of World Languages & Cultures and the Intensive English Language Institute. Named for USU alumnus and philanthropist Mehdi Heravi, the center will serve students taking language classes at USU, with more than half of those approximately 2,000 students choosing to major or minor in one of the programs offered.

“The Mehdi Heravi Global Teaching and Learning Center will create a hub for language and culture study at USU, attracting students from across campus and preparing them to be leaders in their communities and professions,” said President Noelle E. Cockett. “This center will bring to life Dr. Heravi’s vision of peace and learning.”

On March 6, university crews closed a portion of Champ Drive, which will be straightened to accommodate the new facility and additional parking. These road improvements will provide easier access to existing buildings and the construction site, which occupies one of the few remaining spaces abutting USU’s historic Quad.

Although the construction timeline was impacted by the pandemic, crews began preparing the site last summer, and completion of the nearly 40,000 square-foot facility is expected ahead of the 2024-2025 academic year. The project is supported by funds from the State of Utah, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the O.C. Tanner Foundation, in addition to individual donors.

“This building is the legacy of many, many people,” Heravi said. “My hope is for this to become a building of opportunity for students to learn other languages, learn other cultures and become promoters of peace.”

Designed by Method Studio, the center will include language labs, cultural hubs, interview rooms and spaces designed to bring students, faculty and community together. It will occupy the space west of the Ray B. West building on USU’s Logan campus. It will also have a café and event space, as well as an outdoor balcony and garden with views of the Quad and Old Main, where the majority of CHaSS programs are housed.

“The new center brings all of our language programs together in a beautiful setting that will foster opportunities for connection and communication,” said CHaSS Dean Joseph P. Ward. “Students will gain experience that is both international and interpersonal and leave ready to enter an increasingly global workforce.”

The public is invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for 1 p.m. on March 22. This will include brief remarks from USU’s administration and a blessing from a Tribal elder from the Northwest Band of Shoshone Indians. A reception will follow at the David B. Haight Center. For more information, please visit https://chass.usu.edu/languages/gtlc/groundbreaking/index.

A cornerstone of Utah State University, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences brings together faculty members engaged in original research and creative activities to teach and mentor students who aspire to be leaders in their professions and communities. Degrees in humanities and social sciences cultivate highly-adaptable professional skills in students through teaching effective communication, research, data analysis, and creative problem-solving.