The newly renovated Monroe Hall will be rededicated during a ceremony in order to recognize and thank the many people who helped make this project a reality.

The festivities will take place over the course of two days, Oct. 7 from 6pm to 8pm and Oct. 8 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. It will be attended by student volunteers, faculty and alumni.

The event on Oct. 7 is open to the public and will feature interactive demonstrations and tours, from 6 to 7 p.m. The tours will include a visit to the rooftop Azby Fund Greenhouse, which is usually only accessible to students and faculty.

The open house will also feature a commemorative art piece made by Jonathan Lopez, graphic design senior, and Daniela Marx, associate professor of graphic design.

Lopez said he collaborated with Marx to create a bookmark that represents the ideals of design that are all around us.

“We as designers are inspired by everything and anything. Yet it’s really easy to get caught up in just relying on the computer for answers. The bookmark represents and acts as a reminder that we should not neglect the creativity that can stem from our hands,” Lopez said.

There will also be a President’s Guest Series Lecture by Brother Guy J. Consolmagno, S.J., of the Vatican Observatory at 7 p.m. and will broadcast live on Loyola’s website.

The Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, said that what he is most looking forward to about the event is the guest lecture.

“I am especially excited about our keynote speaker, Brother Guy Consolmagno. He will enlighten us with his talk ‘Exploring New Worlds, from Peru to Mars, Jesuits and Science,” Wildes said.

The events on Thursday, Oct. 8 will start with a brass band procession into Monroe Hall at 12:15 p.m. After the band’s performance, the ceremony and blessing by Wildes will commence.

Wildes said the building serves the spirit of the Jesuit mission by housing the fine arts, sciences and humanities in a setting that provides inspiration through state-of-the-art facilities.

“In many ways, this building is being rededicated to the Loyola University New Orleans community itself,” Wildes said.

Monroe Hall is Loyola’s largest and most wide-ranging academic facility, and roughly 40 percent of the university’s classes take place in it.

Angela Turnbull, special events coordinator, said that for more than 40 years, Monroe Hall has been a place where ideas and insights were exchanged between students and professors.

“The new facilities in Monroe Hall help provide Loyola students a versatile, state-of-the-art launch pad where learning can take off,” Turnball said.