Community at Its Foundation, Collaboration at Its Core

“Two years ago, this magnificent space was just an idea. And now, that idea has come to fulfillment: four stories, 90,000 square-feet of Jesuit education at its finest. ” - Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University of Scranton president

Robert S. '68 and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall has all the advanced features and characteristics of a modern academic architectural gem. Beyond the large glass walls, steel, stone and state-of-the-art learning spaces, however, is a deeper significance: Weiss Hall represents progress and will actively bring it to life.

“It’s a sign of the University’s commitment to the area and a focus on its future,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., University of Scranton president. “This building is a sign of our commitment to three key areas: workforce development, applied research and community outreach.

“When people drive by and see it, I hope they say, ‘The University is doing something very good for the area once again.’ That does it for me.”

Father Marina delivered the blessing on Sept. 3 at a dedication, which served as the official opening of the four-story structure across from Brennan Hall.

Community outreach is practically built into the Weiss Hall foundation. A portion of a nearby parking lot — at Madison Avenue and Linden Street — was key to ensuring proper functionality. The University acquired the land, owned by neighboring Elm Park United Methodist Church, in a property exchange that met mutual needs and strengthened the vital roles both institutions play in the city’s civic and spiritual life.

“It was a nice partnership,” Father Marina said.

Among Weiss Hall’s key features is a 10,000-square foot IDEA Center on the first floor, designed to foster collaboration among students and faculty and support experiential learning. The IDEA Center is also intended for use by regional partners in business, healthcare and manufacturing, creating a shared space that welcomes the public into the University’s ecosystem.

Weiss Hall also houses the University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Robert S. Weiss ’68, along with his wife, Marilyn A. Weiss, is the benefactor for whom Weiss Hall is named. He said the building will support entrepreneurship and bring “connectivity” to campus. It will allow students to turn classroom projects into real-life products and services, he said.

“Get the idea, do basic research, apply the idea,” Weiss said. “Then go out and ‘set the world on fire.’”

The IDEA Center will support innovation and student entrepreneurship, as will the University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which, since 1980, has provided resources, support and funding to countless local startups and small businesses.

The University of Success, a four-year, pre-college program that since 1996 has helped hundreds of local high school students gain entrance to colleges and universities, is also housed in Weiss Hall.

It’s only fitting the SBDC and University of Success — two organizations so pivotal to the University’s community presence — share the second floor.

The building received support via former U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright’s FY2023 Community Project Funding, which awarded $16.62 million, and a $1.32 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission.

The Weisses contributed $10.5 million, the largest single gift in University history.

“I’m excited that the building will continue to transform the education of our students,” Robert Weiss, a Lake Ariel native whose career included serving as president and CEO of The Cooper Companies, Inc., the global leader in contact lenses, said at an on-campus naming ceremony. “Marilyn and I are actually Californians since 1979. But we remember our roots and we’re thankful to be able to give back to the community.”

“It’s just great to give back to Scranton,” added Marilyn Weiss, a longtime nurse.

“Even though we’ve been gone for many years, it’s a pleasure to come back and meet the friendliest people in the world. We’ve been around — and there’s nobody like the people in this town.”

Two academic departments are headquartered in Weiss Hall.

Michael Jenkins, Ph.D. ’06, professor and chair of the Department of Criminal Justice, Cybersecurity and Sociology, served as Weiss Hall’s project liaison.

The department is now headquartered in Weiss Hall, along with the Psychology

Department. Additionally, Student Health Services and the Center for Health, Education and Wellness have moved to Weiss Hall.

“It’s a space that taps into the rich history of the work the University has done on campus and in the community,” Dr. Jenkins said. “It also addresses the future of higher education and the need for educational programs to be outwardfacing and to serve their regions.”

Additional features include a rooftop prayer garden, an interfaith prayer room, a podcast studio, computer labs, conference rooms and other multipurpose spaces.

“It’s a combination of a future-oriented vision and of services that we can provide not only internally but also externally,” Father Marina said. “That makes Weiss Hall a special addition to our beautiful campus.”