A school that teaches how to lead schools gets a new, high-tech home Saturday. The University of San Diego is opening the 80,000-foot, $36 million Mother Rosalie Hill Hall for its School of Leadership and Education Sciences, which is named for USD co-founder Mother Rosalie Hill. SOLES teaches would-be principals and administrators, and is one of the few schools of its kind nationwide.
The new building features cutting-edge videoconferencing technology to link students with educators across the globe, an education law library, and recorded rooms with one-way mirrors so that counselors can test-drive their skills, then review them with a teacher. It’s the first time the SOLES program has come under a single roof, instead of being scattered among several buildings.
Dean Paula Cordeiro noted that many of the program’s students, who work relatively low-paying jobs in education and the nonprofit sector, chipped in for the building’s cost.
“When you’re making $35,000 a year, donating $250 is a big deal,” she said, gesturing to the dedicated seats in an 188-seat auditorium. “They love the place.”