By: Jonathan Stokes
Photo by Jonathan Stokes
As a university with many commuter students, there are inherent challenges to fostering positive relationships between students and the campus. After a few semesters of doing the monotonous routine of only getting to know the parking lots, the question of what these grounds contain within its 350 acres will undoubtedly pop into the mind of the curious Triton.
While some people might prefer to drive, park, go to class, and leave, others, like myself, have a nagging desire to feel "at home" on campus.
Taking advantage of the resources that tuition payments, fundraising and donations provide is one of the easiest ways to maximize the return on the investment students make to pursue higher education. This series will highlight the campus buildings, their unique features and resources. Hopefully, it can also inspire folks to look around and see all that UMSL has to offer.
Anheuser-Busch Hall is home to the College of Business Administration. Nestled in the middle of North Campus and built in 2017, it is the newest building on campus.
Immediately upon entering the building, an electronic stock market ticker on the outside of a classroom, known as the Trading Room. The technology paired with the floor-to-ceiling windows, asserts the state-of-the-art qualities of the building and the education provided within. The sleek modern design of Anheuser-Busch Hall stands out as a student-friendly interpretation of Fortune 500 company lobbies.
As a senior and finance major, John Lenox has sat in plenty of finance classes, but one particular offering from UMSL stands out as an opportunity for growth beyond academia. The Student Investment Trust is both a student organization and a one-credit practicum course that allows students to participate in managing a real trust set up by UMSL. "I do personally invest and I would say I'm using some of the strategies," said Lenox when asked about the benefits of an opportunity like The Student Investment Trust.
Tributes to UMSL Accounting Hall of Fame inductees and donors who helped finance the construction of the building serve as eye-catching pieces of art amongst the subtle interior design.
Photo by Jonathan Stokes
At the opposite end of the hall from the Trading Room is the Executive Education Room, another gorgeous classroom. This room has even more floor-to-ceiling windows and a stunning tree-top view. Rooms like this are where important decisions are made over catered continental breakfasts on paper plates.
The sight of students huddled together, discussing real-time stock market updates and various finance strategies, is common in Anheuser-Busch Hall. The energetic conversations from these driven, future decision-makers are enough to inspire the financially illiterate to at least re-download the Stocks app that comes pre-downloaded on iOS.
Photo by Jonathan Stokes
Beyond the ground level, the different floors of Anheuser-Busch Hall are less flashy and more indicative of the buildings that most of these future graduates will be working in in the years to come. Some companies even have their name on plaques outside of specific classrooms they financed.
Overall, the Anheuser-Busch Hall is a sight to see and makes a fantastic case for exploring this beautiful campus. Whether a visit to the building is for the stock market ticker, the buzzing energy of the students walking the halls, or the scant opportunity to grab abandoned cinnamon raisin bagels after a meeting, the Anheuser-Busch Hall serves as an example of what UMSL's future developments can look like.