Alumni
B. Barnard Birger Hall officially opened in September 2001. The 12,000 square-foot facility, located on the outside of the campus’ Circle Drive near the Vadalabene Center, is named for Mr. Birger, a long-time friend and supporter of SIUE.
Birger’s bequest of his Collinsville home and property made the construction possible. He announced the gift in December 1998 and looked forward to seeing his dream realized. Unfortunately, “Barney” did not live to see his namesake completed. He died just after his 83rd birthday.
Other donors that made the building possible include: Fred Guyton of Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets Inc., David Oates of Oates Associates, Tom Buccheit of Ross & Barruzzini, Dale Keller of Keller Construction Co., and Ralph Korte, John Carpenter, Tom Lyerla, and Rich Holcmann, all of Korte Construction Co. Also recognized for donations to help construct portions of the building are Rita Hardy, Chuck and Betty Lou Schmidt, Jim Fowler and his son, Greg, as well as Ralph and Donna Korte, Chuck and Jean Tosovsky, and the SIUE Alumni Association.
As guests enter Birger Hall they will find a spacious lobby donated by Rita Hardy and can wait for their meeting to begin in the Fowler Family lounge. The building is home to the SIUE Development family, with offices for the vice chancellor for University Relations, the Office of Alumni Services, the SIUE Foundation, and the Office of Public Affairs.
The event room seats up to 80 banquet style and has doors that lead to the Tosovsky Terrace which houses a beautiful patio and ponds with waterfalls. The meeting spaces include two board rooms, the Chuck and Betty Lou Schmidt Conference Room and the Board Room.
