Sentry Hall Replaces Collins Classroom Center

Beginning in summer 2026, the Collins Classroom Center will begin its renovation process into Sentry Hall, adding 20,000 square feet and fully modernizing its interior.  

The $10 million gift from Sentry Insurance in 2022, allowed for the State Building Commission approval on Oct. 28. With the new modern design, led by Aro Eberle Architects, the project is budgeted at $98 million.  

In 2022, the officials from Sentry Insurance pledged that the CCC would be named Sentry Hall.  

The project is expected to start summer 2026 after offices and classrooms are officially moved out of the building. Completion is expected as early as fall 2029.  

The project was approved by the UW System Board of Regents after it was set after being included in the 2025-27 state budget.  

“That’s pretty much the cost of a brand-new building, but we also want to preserve as much of the existing building as we can.” Rebecca Sommars, dean of the College of Professional Studies, said. 

The project will convert the CCC into Sentry Hall, meaning it is not a total demolition. The original construction was completed on May 6, 1965.   

With the current needs of the campus, the building will be reconstructed to keep the original architecture but add a modern, inviting atmosphere.  

“Similar to the library design, you will see into it, inviting the public in,” said Sommars.  

With limited classrooms during the renovation, Joshua Hagen, dean of the College of Letters and Science, said, “We’ll have to make more use of some of those earlier times, some more late afternoon times. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some growth in the number of online courses that were offered.”  

With the construction spanning the academic year, this will require temporary relocation of classrooms and offices.  

Classes currently held in the CCC or CPS will be moved to other academic buildings. “We are trying to fully utilize all of our classrooms across campus,” said Sommars.  

Kevin Neuman, assistant dean of the College of Professional Studies and Head of the Sentry School of Business and Economics, said, “But what it means for students is that facility space in a few years is going to be spot on with our mission.”  

The new facility will include new resource centers aimed at improving business programs, including: a new Entrepreneurship Center, the Center for Data Analytics, the Center for Sales Excellence, the Center for Business and Economic Insight, and the Ruth E. Salzmann Center for Women’s Leadership. For now, Anderson Classroom Career Center will remain in the CCC. 

The project will also add a cafe to the Sentry Hall’s 1st floor.  

Neuman said these resources are “things that we think will give opportunities for students to get experience and connect them with the community.” 

With limited campus space, Global Studies and Humanities professors will permanently move offices into the CPS. The School of Business and Economics professors will temporarily move to Delzell Hall until Sentry is finished.  

“What we lose in terms of cohesiveness from office space. We stand to gain in terms of just how nice some of those spaces are going to be,” said Tobias Barske, assistant dean for the School of Humanities and Global Studies.  

The conversion of the CCC into Sentry Hall, which primarily housed Humanities and Global Studies for the past 60 years. This means the university is moving student spaces from the CCC into a newer building around campus.  

The Tutoring Learning Center will be moving into the new Library, while CornerStone Press and the History Archive Lab will be moving into the CPS building.  

With changes and additions of new centers, Barske said, “The fact that we have a building that’s called the Sentry Building and that there’s a connection between what we do on campus that connects and is supported by the biggest employer in town.” 

“I think that matters, we can showcase that there’s a connection between what we do in our classes and how that connects to the workforce,” said Barske.  

Brianna Ankerson and Abbey Holmes

News Reporters

bankerso@uwsp.edu

abholmes@uwsp.edu