Schoenecker Hall at the Iversen Center for Faith

Place settings on the tables in Schoenecker Hall

Schoenecker Hall at the Iversen Center for Faith

A main-floor gathering room connected to the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel, the Iversen Center for Faith is a brand-new facility, opened in 2020. Thoughtfully designed, the Iversen Center for Faith integrates into the grounds surrounding the Chapel. The building, which encompasses 25,000 square feet, includes campus ministry offices, a bridal suite and groom suite, new restroom facilities and an elevator to improve handicap accessibility in the chapel.

The Iversen Center for Faith features a large space for special events, including wedding receptions and funeral luncheons, and a new location for alumni and other guests of the university to host on-campus gatherings. The space will hold up to 240 guests for a seated dinner and can be partitioned into three smaller conference-style rooms.

Section A accommodates 192 in theater-style seating, or 48 at round tables
Section B accommodates 204 in theater-style seating, or 56 at round tables
Section C accommodates 222 in theater-style seating, or 96 at round tables

Additionally, a sacred art gallery, a multi-faith meditation room and two outdoor gathering areas make the space versatile for a variety of events. Outdoors, guests will enjoy pre-event social hours on our outdoor patio with amphitheater seating, or our expansive rooftop terraces and Peace Garden.

A long corridor extending from the north to south ends of the building includes a pedestrian pathway with skylights that connects the Chapel via underground tunnel to neighboring buildings, including parking garages in the Tommie East and Schoenecker Hall North (formerly Tommie North) Residence Halls.

The building design incorporates a significant use of glass — around the new building’s entrances, along corridors and in skylights. That not only allows sunlight into the building during the day, but also lights the existing church in a striking way at night. Schoenecker Hall has one full wall of windows, making it a bright space for daytime events.