When Monroe College opened the King Graduate School of Business on its Bronx campus two years ago, the program was spread throughout the college’s five buildings.

Now, after eight months of construction, the graduate and undergraduate business schools have a building to call their own.

“It’s wonderful to have all the students in one place,” said Tilokie Depoo, chair of the business administration department. “It allows us to keep track of all our students.”

The new Ustin Hall, located at 2375 Jerome Ave. on the corner of 184th Street, houses 20 classrooms, student and faculty lounges, a café, and a meeting and lecture space that can hold 100 people. The building sits amidst the commercial businesses and elevated 4 subway line that can be seen from the windows at the front of the school.

“This building means a great deal to the community because it makes this part of the neighborhood much nicer,” said Monroe College President Stephen J. Jerome. “We feel it’s very important that the area stays viable and involved with the college.”

The college is also committed to making the neighborhood more environmentally friendly. The building boasts a 50-KW solar panel system on its rooftop, and as part of Monroe’s 75th anniversary in the Bronx, Monroe is working in coordination with the neighborhood to plant 75 new trees around the college.

The business school also involves the community through its entrepreneurial center and with its Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) group, which establishes a variety of programs that teach free enterprise in the neighborhood. This year’s SIFE team recently won the regional SIFE championship and has moved on to compete in the national championship in Chicago later this month.

At an April 22 ceremony to officially open the new building, which has been housing students since the beginning of February, administrators, trustees, and students praised the state-of-the-art facility.

“This is probably my favorite building on campus,” said junior Divine Lipscomb, president of the SIFE club.  

The building was named in honor of Joan Ustin, chair of the college’s board of trustees.

Ustin helped implement a major community-based urban revitalization program before creating her own consulting firm that directed the training and development function for major New York banks.

Said Ustin, “This wonderful facility represents another step forward on a never-ending journey of improving life at this college.”