Miller Hull

The University of Arizona’s Student Success District offers a holistic approach to on-campus resources for a Gen-Z student body.

By: James McCown

Shan Sutton, dean of libraries at the University of Arizona, has one of the toughest jobs in academia: convincing thousands of digital native Gen-Z students that sprawling academic libraries are still relevant to their studies and aspirations. A recent overhaul of U of A’s library system and student services facilities led by The Miller Hull Partnership in association with Poster Mirto McDonald aims to help make that connection.

At U of A, the Main Library is a brutalist 1970s-era building with three wings that Sutton calls “pods.” This building, along with the nearby 1970s Weaver Science-Engineering Library, have been integrated with the historic Bear Down Gymnasium and brand-new, LEED Gold–certified Barlett Academic Success Center into a new 6-acre campus quarter christened the Student Success District (SSD). Its aim is not only to make libraries more accessible and useful, but to bring all of the student service functions into a single venue aimed at supporting students toward graduation.

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