Water Cooler Wednesday: Lynn University Business School Key Addition

Lynn is making waves in local and regional business circles

Lynn is making waves in local and regional business circles

Lynn University is a local gem and an emerging player in the region’s business community.

Under the leadership of President Kevin Ross, the small university on Military Trail in Boca Raton, has become a hotbed of innovation thanks to a unique curriculum and a strong commitment to using technology to deliver education through a partnership with Apple.

Lynn has also earned a national profile as the host of a 2012 Presidential Debate.

The school is making a splash in business education circles as well with a competitively priced MBA program and the construction of a new business school.

The International Business Center will be a state of the art facility that will fit in nicely with other new buildings on the campus, most notably the stunning Wold Performing Arts Center, site of the debate.

Construction continues at a steady pace on the International Business Center (IBC). The building, which will be three stories when finished, is expected to be completed by the fall. Right now construction crews are fitting the glass panels surrounding the building.

“The building will be a magnificent addition to our campus and will offer our students a first class learning environment,” said Gregory Malfitano senior vice president for development and administration.

Here’s a closer look at the building’s progress and features.

LEED PLATINUM CERTIFICATION

The IBC is designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification, which is the highest level of certification awarded by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

IBCTo achieve this one of the systems being installed, called chilled beam, is a type of highly efficient air conditioning that works by piping chilled water to each room.  In addition, an energy meter is being installed, allowing Lynn to monitor the amount of energy saved each month and compare it to similar buildings on campus that use traditional air conditioning systems.

The IBC is designed to take advantage of natural sunlight as a lighting source, which decreases the need for artificial lighting and in turn saves energy. The building is estimated to save 40% in energy and 50% in potable water use compared to similar traditional buildings.

BUILDING FEATURES

Spread over 32,000 sq. ft., the building’s features include:

  • 10 classrooms
  • 10 study rooms
  • 1 idea lab
  • 1 investment center
  • 32 staff and faculty offices

The International Business Center also features state of the art technology for video-conferencing and collaboration.

The Business School recently lost its dean, Tom Kruczek, who became president of Notre Dame College in Cleveland, Oh., but expects to have new leadership in place soon.

Boca Raton’s business scene is rapidly taking shape with FAU’s new Tech Runway, Lynn’s new business school, programs such as the Boca Chamber’s Young Entrepreneur’s Academy and efforts such as MedUTech, which emphasizes the city’s strengths in medicine, education and technology. Spanish River High’s Entrepreneurship Career Academy and Boca High’s renowned STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program are also valuable building blocks.

Local business leaders are also encouraged by recent election results in Boca, in which pro-business candidates won seats on the council.