The Michigan State University Board of Trustees in East Lansing today voted to authorize the planning of a major expansion to the MSU School of Packaging. The plan is expected to cost $25 million and should double the size of the building, increasing research capacity as well as creating space for more faculty and graduate students.
“Positioning Spartans for continued innovation and leadership, this new expansion to the nation’s preeminent School of Packaging is another milestone for this storied program,” says Teresa K. Woodruff, interim president at MSU. “This addition signifies our commitment to research excellence and also underscores our dedication to staying at the forefront of industry trends and demands.”
Housed within the school’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the School of Packaging was established in 1952 and was the first school of packaging in the United States, says Woodruff.
According to the school, it is the largest packaging program in the country, with more than 600 undergraduate and graduate students and 10,000 alumni worldwide. The school graduates 40 percent of all the packaging professionals in the U.S. alone.
“This expansion will create world-renowned sustainability research spaces so that we can expand our faculty in this critical area,” says Matthew Daum, director of the School of Packaging at MSU. “We are the only U.S. school that offers a Ph.D. program in packaging, so we’re particularly excited this addition will allow us to bring in more graduate students to meet industry demand.”
The School of Packaging completed a comprehensive renovation in April 2023, which created technology-first classrooms, collaboration spaces where industry partners can engage with students, and new office space for graduate students and faculty. The renovations were supported by contributions from alumni and donors totaling over $10 million, including lead gifts from Amcor, Charles and Jackie Frasier, and Ring Container Technologies.
The planned expansion is expected to break ground in 2025.
In other news, MSU’s board of directors also approved a plan to renovate Campbell Hall, which according to the school is one of the oldest residence halls on Michigan State University’s campus. The building is home to the school’s Honors College.
The hall will undergo a major renovation this summer and is expected to reopen in August 2025.The Honors College will be responsible for raising $3.1 million of the $37.1 million total project cost to renovate the hall.
“Each of our university residence halls tells a unique story,” says Woodruff. “Historic Campbell Hall was built in the late 1930s and is among the oldest in our storied north neighborhood. As we begin to write the hall’s next chapter this summer, I am eager to see the renovations that will take place that will support the overarching success and excellence of each of our students that call Campbell Hall home.”
The MSU division of student life and engagement, or SLE, recognizes the critical importance of investing in the maintenance and preservation of historic campus buildings like Campbell Hall.
Renovation efforts will attempt to improve residence hall safety and accessibility features and correct building deficiencies while preserving the character of north campus. Specific upgrades include roof repairs, window replacement, new flooring and paint, updated furniture in resident rooms and public areas, new fire alarm system, and accessible restrooms and elevators. SLE will also create a centralized package center to serve the West Circle community.
Approximately 4,500 students call the Honors College home.
