Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of Business          The Mills MBA Program
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The Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of Business at Mills College is designed to inspire success. In fall 2009, an innovative new building to house this growing school opened its doors.

Award-winning architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson designed a bold building that captured Mills' values and institutional character. Encompassing the best of contemporary architecture and educational technology, the 28,500-square-foot facility stands as a compelling statement about the importance of educating society's next generation of business leaders.

The new facility features wide, shaded terraces across the building's front and sides, extending collaboration and community from the interior to the outdoors. Two lecture halls with tiered seating for 50 students and four classrooms for 25 to 40 students provide space for an expanding enrollment, while breakout rooms and a student lounge will support focused teamwork and informal group discussion. The centerpiece of the building is a spectacular gathering hall, flanked by an exterior terrace and iris pond.

Multimedia technology—such as podcasting, wired and wireless areas in "smart" classrooms, and a state-of-the-art computer laboratory—will facilitate Internet access and information sharing locally, regionally, and globally.

The Lokey Graduate School of Business building is designed to meet the high standards required to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification as a green building, demonstrating Mills' commitment to the environment and to educating socially and environmentally responsible business leaders.

Sustainable features include a living green roof planted with drought-tolerant plants; energy-efficient, radiant-heated floors; an evaporative cooling system; the use of low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints; and a specially designed rainwater collection system. Even the wood from a Montezuma cypress tree that was removed from the building site will be crafted into custom furniture for the building's public areas.

Following the level of achievement set by Mills' Betty Irene Moore Natural Sciences Building, the Lokey Graduate School of Business will become the second LEED-certified facility on campus.