Something is different in the David O. McKay Building. As students walk in the east doors, a CNN anchor on the flat-screen TV greets them with the latest news. The new computer and support center has fresh-out-of-the-box iMacs, and the remodeled administrative offices are more student-friendly.
Rededicated in April after three years of remodeling, the David O. McKay Building has become a high-tech hub for educating tomorrow’s teachers. Photo by Annie Jones.
On April 25, students in the School of Education graduated from BYU only to be asked to not leave—for the moment. Immediately following graduation, the rededication ceremony for the David O. McKay Building began as President Thomas S. Monson entered the crowded Smith Fieldhouse. “When he came in, everyone became very reverent,” says Stephanie Houtz, ’04.
After a short video presentation about President McKay’s life and the goals of the School of Education, President Merrill J. Bateman offered remarks. To mark an end to the long renovation, President Thomas S. Monson offered the dedicatory address and prayer, emphasizing the education of mind and spirit.
Perhaps the most noticeable addition to the building is the Teaching and Learning Support Center. The facility is packed with new computers using the latest technology. Students learn how to use software that will be applicable once they are in the workforce. Houtz, a lab assistant in the support center, says, “The center is modernized and up-to-date, so students are actually prepared to enter the classroom and teach using technology.”
With its glistening terrazzo floors and sparkling white walls, the building is a source of pride for the students and faculty who work and learn there, especially considering that for the past three years, various parts of the building have taken turns being stripped down to the beams and wires. High-tech classrooms, refurbished conference rooms, and a new faculty commons area complete the facelift.
The McKay Building has changed a lot since it was first dedicated in 1954, but its purpose remains the same—teaching students to become teachers.
More information can be found at more.byu.edu/mckay
