Campbell Hall reopened for the Autumn 2026 semester. The building is located at 1787 Neil Ave. Credit: Grace Puhalj | Lantern Reporter
After three years of renovations, Campbell Hall welcomed students back for the fall semester on Aug. 25, hosting its first classes since construction began.
The building – at 1787 Neil Ave. – underwent a major transformation to include new, specialized academic and collaborative spaces for students and faculty, enhancing the building’s role as a community hub for the College of Education and Human Ecology, according to Erik Porfeli, interim dean of the College of Education and Human Ecology.
The renovation cost $61.2 million, according to a university website.
Porfeli also said that the renovation embodies the college’s goals and broader mission.
“When you think about education, health and well-being and the vitality of communities, they all manifest in this building,” Porfeli said.
The remodel introduced several new areas designed to support that mission.
The Geraldine Schottenstein Gallery is one of the newly renovated spaces in Campbell Hall. Its first exhibition for the Fall 2026 semester, “Twentieth-Century Design in Scarlet & Grey,” features 31 pieces that explore nearly a century of fashion while honoring Ohio State’s official colors, said Sarah Berenz, museum curator consultant at the Ohio State Historic Costume and Textiles Collection.?
The exhibition highlights many American designers and an assortment of garments and accessories, Berenz said.
“To have this visual component … brings it to life a little bit,” Berenz said. “Some people already knew we had the collection available, but a lot of people did not.”
She said the gallery is open to the public and offers students valuable access to the collection.
The renovation also includes a new instructional kitchen designed to give students hands-on experience with industry-standard tools.
“We have a lot of professional equipment that you can find in any restaurant,” said Executive Chef Tameka Johnson. “We have six stoves, a grill, a flat top [and] we have a convection oven.”?
Johnson said she teaches students basic technique skills and helps them become comfortable using the new appliances.
The space is currently shared between two programs; hospitality and human nutrition, Porfeli said.
“Same facility but used for different but related courses,” said Porfeli. “Human nutrition focuses on the why; hospitality on the how.”
He said the teaching kitchen will also open many opportunities for future community involvement, including potential community-based cooking courses.
The building’s transformation goes beyond thoughtful innovation. He said it is where education and community come together to make an impact on society.
He encouraged all students — not just those in the College of Education and Human Ecology — to explore Campbell Hall’s new spaces, including conference rooms that can be reserved with a BuckID.
“I hope that if they’re in our neighborhood, they stop by and just hang out because this is a pretty comfortable place,” Porfeli said.
Porfeli said the building’s significance extends well beyond its physical renovation.
“This building … will also be transformative for humanity, as more and more students benefit from what happens here, translating that into their lives, into the lives of those they love and care about and the lives that they will touch in their workplace,” Porfeli said. “The fundamentals of what you learn here, in my opinion, can make you a better person.”
