New Eller Professional Development Center Launches Construction

Close to 200 students, alumni, donors, faculty, and staff converged at McClelland Hall October 23 to celebrate the launch of construction on the Karl and Stevie Eller Professional Development Center (Eller PDC). Initial fundraising for the $5 million, 13,000 square foot addition to McClelland Hall is complete and the facility is scheduled to open in August 2016.

“This project really started with a student-approved fee that expanded our professional development services to include career coaches and courses in career exploration,” said Pam Perry, associate dean of the Eller undergraduate program. “Now these activities will have a dedicated home, which will also include student collaboration space and interview rooms so recruiters can meet students here at Eller instead of across campus.”

“UA business students are getting a great education, but they also need to position themselves as early as possible to start great careers,” said Karl Eller '52 BSBA (Marketing). “This facility is going to be a top-notch place to do that.”

“The PDC is such an integral part of the Eller experience,” said Hayley Schwartz, president of the Eller Student Council, whose membership pledged to support the project with a named team room. “Many Eller students obtain their dream jobs and internships and they have the PDC career coaches and staff to thank. As students we directly benefit from all of the hard work the staff puts in.”

“This project has been a true collaboration,” said Eller College dean Jeff Schatzberg. “Our alumni, students, faculty, and administrators have all come together around a common vision that serves the UA’s goal of 100 percent engagement. We are so grateful for the financial commitment and energy our community has put behind the Eller PDC.”

“As the Eller Student Council, we believe it is essential to continue to support the students of the college, and the best way to do that is by helping to fund the professional experience,” said Schwartz. “The seniors who graduated worked incredibly hard to help raise this money, and I know it is important to them to pay it forward and help other students have those benefits as well.”

Gould Evans and GLHN designed the Eller PDC, which will break ground in December under Lloyd Construction. The project is managed by the University of Arizona’s Planning, Design, and Construction team.