UND celebrates opening of Education Northwest building
Renovations provide new home for Kinesiology, Public Health education, Esports — and student-centered collaboration and research
GRAND FORKS, N.D. — University of North Dakota leaders, faculty, staff and community members gathered April 17 to celebrate the ribbon-cutting of Education Northwest, a newly renovated facility that brings together several College of Education & Human Development programs under one roof.
Located at 525 Stanford Road, the building — formerly home to UND Housing & Residence Life — has been transformed into a modern, flexible space supporting kinesiology, public health education and esports programs, while also enhancing the adjacent University Children’s Learning Center.
“This building has been a journey, but it’s now home,” said Shelbie Witte, dean of the College of Education & Human Development. “We are so proud to show it off.”
The renovation is part of a broader transformation of UND’s campus, prompted in part by the demolition of Hyslop Sports Center. That project created the need to relocate programs that relied on large, activity-based spaces.
A transformational project
“This project is rooted in transforming the eastern edge of campus,” said UND Provost Eric Link at the ribbon-cutting. “Hyslop served this campus for a very long time, but we reached a place where we had to make change.”
With the support of Student Affairs, which relocated its Housing and Residence Life operations to University Place, the former housing facility was reimagined to meet the needs of movement-based education and research. The result is a versatile environment designed for both teaching and innovation.
Education Northwest now features indoor multi-sport courts for activities such as basketball, volleyball, badminton and pickleball, along with activity studios for yoga and dance. Dedicated training areas support boxing and fitness classes, while flexible classrooms can be adapted for a variety of instructional needs.
Newly constructed kinesiology labs include spaces equipped with treadmills, weight training facilities and technology to study human movement.
From musty basement to state-of-the-art labs
The transformation extends to the building’s lower level, which formerly was used for storage and now houses state-of-the-art labs. The College of Education & Human Development put $100,000 into new equipment for the Kinesiology lab spaces, officials at the ribbon-cutting said.
“What used to be a cavernous area full of dorm room furniture is now a set of world-class labs that our students are thrilled about,” Witte said.
For faculty and program leaders, the new facility represents both growth and opportunity.
“Education Northwest is more than space,” said Sandra Moritz, associate chair of the department of Education, Health & Behavior Studies and kinesiology program director. “It represents who we are and where we’re going.”
Moritz, who has been at UND for 27 years, reflected on the evolution of the department — from a single undergraduate degree and coaching minor to a much wider range of offerings. Today, the department includes multiple degree programs — including master’s and doctoral programs in kinesiology — and accelerated options designed to meet changing student needs.
The new building is expected to further strengthen that trajectory by encouraging collaboration across disciplines. Early examples are already emerging, including partnerships between public health and esports students.
“This space will be where our students learn, collaborate and build their futures,” Moritz said. “It’s where ideas will turn into research and passion, and those will turn into careers.”
A campuswide effort
In addition to academic programs, Education Northwest enhances resources for the University’s Children’s Learning Center, a dual-licensed childcare center and preschool serving UND families and the broader Grand Forks community. Renovations include expanded activity areas designed to better support early childhood learning and development.
University leaders emphasized that the project reflects a collaborative, campuswide effort.
“Thanks to the partnership with Student Affairs, we were able to create a win-win solution,” Link said. “We now have a great facility that will serve students, faculty and these programs for years to come.”
As UND continues to invest in facilities and infrastructure, Education Northwest stands as a milestone in the University’s ongoing campus transformation—one that prioritizes student success, interdisciplinary collaboration and hands-on learning.
“This is a space built with intention and care,” Link said. “And it positions us to continue advancing teaching, research and student experiences well into the future.”
