Saunders College unveils two learning spaces

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A. Sue Weisler

The Business Analytics Lab is an 800-square-foot newly renovated space equipped with the latest in Bloomberg Financial Markets technology and other analytics software—complete with an S&P 100 Index stock market ticker and 16 work stations.

Saunders College of Business at Rochester Institute of Technology is unveiling two state-of-the-art collaborative learning environments for students that are unlike any other learning spaces at RIT.

The REDCOM Active Learning Collaboratory provides an interactive learning experience with self-contained student pods for collaboration, supported by digital and traditional displays and video conferencing capability for distributed teamwork.

The Business Analytics Lab is an 800-square-foot newly renovated space equipped with the latest in Bloomberg Financial Markets technology and other analytics software—complete with an S&P 100 Index stock market ticker and 16 work stations.

“The REDCOM Active Learning Collaboratory and the Business Analytics Lab are visually designed to enhance the look of our business school, but more importantly they enable faculty to implement learning activities that promote student engagement and peer-based learning,” said Saunders College Dean Jacqueline Mozrall. “These new spaces provide access to real-time data and communication, allowing students to work collaboratively to critically analyze information and develop sound business decisions.

“We are very grateful for the generosity of REDCOM Laboratories Inc. and for their continued support of Saunders College. We also thank Bergmann Associates for assisting with the conceptual design of our Business Analytics Lab.”

RIT is family business for REDCOM executives Klaus and Brigitte Gueldenpfennig. Klaus, chairman and CEO of REDCOM and an RIT trustee emeritus, graduated with a Master of Science in engineering in 1974 and an MBA in 1977. Brigitte, who retired as vice president of finance from REDCOM but remains the company’s secretary and treasurer, received her MBA from RIT in 1981. The couple’s daughter, Dinah G. Weisberg, executive vice president at REDCOM, earned an MS in software development management in 1997 and her executive MBA in 2003.

For their outstanding contributions to RIT for nearly 50 years, the Penfield couple received the 2014 NRS Award, the highest honor given by Rochester Institute of Technology’s Nathaniel Rochester Society, and were recipients of two prestigious Saunders College awards—the Herbert W. Vanden Brul Entrepreneurial Award in 1990 and the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1988.

“We at REDCOM are extremely happy and proud to contribute to ‘our’ college and make it an engaging place to learn,” said the REDCOM executives. “We are keenly aware of the changing environment in colleges and the need to stay ahead of the competition, as well as the individual needs of the students.

“When we were approached to contribute to the establishment of an Active Learning Collaboratory, it did not take much to convince us.”

According to Mozrall, the challenge of the Saunders College projects was to integrate the 2006 renovations by Kallmann, McKinnell and Wood Architects while being sensitive to the original architecture of the building designed by Robert Macon of Macon/Chantreuil Architects in 1975.

“We are thrilled with the new designs,” said Mozrall. “These new facilities help to support who we are and what we do, operating at the intersection of business and technology.”