On Friday, Sept. 12, history was made as walls were broken to launch the renovation of Kriner Hall. President Patterson hosted a ceremony to mark this momentous occasion with key contributors in attendance.
In 2021, Kriner Hall closed as a public dining hall on Shippensburg’s campus. It was first dedicated in 1958 and named after former University President Harry Kriner.
President Patterson has worked diligently with a team of visionaries to give Kriner Hall a new life as the home of the Charles H. Diller Jr. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation, the Mr. and Mrs. Milton K. Morgan III Makerspace, and the Shippensburg University Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
These three growing programs have been at the university for quite some time but haven’t had a central location on campus that could be accessible for students’ benefit. The programs encourage students to embrace innovation and aim to support them in their entrepreneurial endeavors.
After months of raising funds with the SU Foundation and working with State Rep. Torren Ecker, Sen. Greg Rothman and Rep. John Joyce on securing additional grants, plans to move forward with the construction of this project have been made.
The Breaking Walls for Innovation ceremony marked this moment with many key people in attendance, including Charles H. Diller and his wife Jane Diller, Milton Morgan, Robin Burtner, John Kooti, Leslie Former Clinton, Lani Longarzo, Amanda Schaeffer, Doug Harbach, Michael Kane, among others. These individuals have been crucial to supporting this project.
There were also student representatives from the Entrepreneurship program at the John L. Grove Business School, executive members from the CEO club, and an engineering student in attendance.
Many individuals were tasked with breaking the first ceremonial holes in the wall while wearing hard hats and using sledgehammers.
Patterson said a few words to express how grateful he is to everyone who helped this vision come to life. He is hopeful for a bright future.
“I want to see our students leave Shippensburg University proud of their degree and proud of their discipline,” said Patterson. “This is an expertise that they would not have been able to gather or experience by virtue without this entrepreneurship hub.”
Official construction will begin in October with plans to open in 2026.
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