UNH Today

On Tuesday, April 14, more than 300 people gathered to celebrate UNH Manchester’s 30^th anniversary and the grand opening of its newly expanded campus. Students, faculty and staff joined politicians, business leaders and local residents to recognize what University of New Hampshire President Mark Huddleston called “an important milestone for the entire university and the granite state.”

Among the speakers were Huddleston, Dean J. Michael Hickey, Governor Maggie Hassan, Mayor Ted Gatsas and UNH Manchester junior Kristin Boelzner. They all echoed the same message: The expanded campus represents progress for the college, the community and the future workforce.

UNH Manchester’s new home is the Pandora Building — a structure deeply rooted in the city’s history. Once a thriving mill in the industrial revolution, the Pandora Building sat vacant for more than three decades before UNH Manchester began its restoration. In his speech, Huddleston compared the revolutionary feats of the mill’s past tenants to the academic achievements of today’s.

“UNH Manchester is replacing the hard, physical work of the mill with the work of the mind,” Huddleston said. “And where loud, heavy machinery once made textiles, our state-of-the-art classrooms and research labs are shaping tomorrow’s graduates.”

With a 44 percent increase in square footage and a 40 percent increase in the number of classrooms, the campus location not only accommodates the growing student body, but also supports the expansion of the college’s courses, faculty and facilities. Hickey said new undergraduate programs, like Analytics and Biotechnology, and cutting-edge technology and science labs are the first of many opportunities the new space allows.

“UNH Manchester turns 30 this year,” Hickey said. “And we are reinventing ourselves for the next thirty and beyond.”

After the remarks, attendees were invited to explore the new building. The tours, either self-guided or led by a UNH Manchester student, allowed visitors to see how the expansion will foster the success of both the institution and its students.

“Our new campus is more spacious, welcoming and publicly accessible,” Hickey said. “It will serve our students well for many years to come.”